When Heroes Fall
by Selphie Kinneas 175
Summary: TP. The Hero of Twilight, now but a shell of his former self, is left utterly broken after his journey to save Hyrule. His heart in pieces, his soul shattered, he leaves a son he did not know he had behind. When heroes fall, who is capable of picking them up again?
1. A Light in the Dark

**A/N: Well, hello there you beautiful reader, you!**

Since you clicked on this story I'm suspecting one of two things: either you just liked my summary and decided to give it a try on a whim (yay!), or you came here from my beloved Twilight Princess novelization, What Makes a Hero (welcome back!). If you are in the latter category, then you have no worries – it's been a long time coming and I'm so glad to have you back! If you are in the former category, though, then let me give you a bit of a disclaimer…

This story _is_ a sequel, and therefore, if you're going to try and read this story without first reading What Makes a Hero, you might have a really hard time keeping up. It _is_ set post Twilight Princess, so you could try to follow along if you really wanted to, but I'm warning you now that it's very likely that you will find yourself getting lost here and there, so I would definitely recommend going back and reading What Makes a Hero first!

Without further ado, welcome to our next big adventure together as writer and reader! I hope you absolutely love it and stay with me 'til the very end!

 **Disclaimer:** _The story below contains intellectual properties from Nintendo Co., including, but not limited to, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and The Legend of Zelda franchise, and are in no way owned by myself, nor do I claim ownership of any of the events that directly correlate with previous installments made by Nintendo Co. in the franchise The Legend of Zelda._

 _This chapter was revised as of 3/6/2016 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

 _This chapter was revised as of 8/31/2016 - Polished, bits and pieces added._

 _This chapter was revised as of 6/2/2017 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

 **When Heroes Fall**

 _By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Prologue

 **.:.**

The sound of his voice lingered in her head for days on end without pause. His handsome face danced before her closed lids with every waking second. There was not a moment's respite that her mind would dare allow, for he was all she could think about.

He left. She told him to.

She let him go… to find _her_.

She loved him, but his reciprocated affection was not of the same measure. She loved him with every fiber of her being, and that was ultimately why she let him go. She knew he would never be happy here, without the girl with whom his heart truly lied.

The girl's departure had destroyed him, and she had seen him at an all-time low that she hoped she would never have to bear witness to again. His absence was much less painful than enduring his misery, because at least he was pursuing a form of contentment, and, even if he never found it, at least he was out trying, and that was far better than lying down and giving up.

The two of them had made a mistake… or was it a mistake? He left, and not long after, she had his child. A night of lustful ignorance perhaps wasn't entirely in vain. She had his son, gave him the name that he had mentioned would show the sincerest form of honor for the man that had saved both of their lives, but both her and her boy lived each day never truly feeling satisfied.

She was restless, worried, and she found it almost impossible to go a day without crying. Her son was fatherless, and it broke her heart each time that he would ask her to tell him stories of his heroic parent. She wished she could find him and tell him that he was a father, that he was needed back home, that he had a son that longed for a father's approval, a touch, or a comforting word.

As the years went on, that little boy began to grow up, and he began to realize what he was missing. He knew and loved his mother, his grandmother and grandfathers, the villagers that he considered aunts and uncles or brothers and sisters, but he needed a _father_. He needed to know the hero that his mother had spent so many years telling him about. He needed to know why he left them so long ago, and why he never returned. He needed a reason, an explanation, but more than anything he just needed to see his face at least one time.

This is the story of a boy named Ren, and how he helped his father, the heroic Link, find the light again.

* * *

Chapter 1: A Light in the Dark

 **.:.**

"Ren!" his mother called to him from inside their home, but the boy paid her no attention; he was much too focused on something far more important: tadpoles.

He was playing in the stream just outside, the cool waters running through his little fingers as he watched the tiny creatures flitting about not too much farther downriver. His uncle, Colin, had shown him where the infant amphibians most liked to hang out, and he greatly enjoyed watching them go about their simple lives.

Ren was a pretty quiet young boy. He mostly kept to himself, only really stepping outside the box when he needed to, which wasn't too often. He wanted to do things like learn how to herd the goats and wield a sword because he had heard so many stories about his father doing those things, but his mother would never let him. She would always say, "No! Your father got hurt doing that and I won't have you getting hurt!" He would sigh and get upset, trying to fight back for a bit of leeway, but she would quickly lose her temper with him and send him up to his room with an exasperated huff.

He didn't know why she was so overprotective, but to her, it was the only way of ensuring that he would be alright. After watching Link get hurt so many times… seeing him near death and severely injured and knowing how much it drained from him… she absolutely _could_ _not_ allow her boy to suffer anything even remotely close to that. His safety and well-being was the top priority to her; she had already lost his father, she would fall apart at the already so-loose seams if she were to lose him, too.

Since he wasn't allowed to help with the ranch or the night watch, he found himself mostly tending to the petty tasks his mother asked of him. He was often responsible for catching fish for supper, fetching firewood for their hearth, tending to the garden as well as rounding up the ripe vegetables that grew there, keeping his room clean, and helping to tidy up after each meal. As he grew older, those simple tasks became more and more tedious, but whenever he tried to garner more responsibilities from his mother, he could practically see the worry and hurt in her eyes even at his young age, and he didn't want to do that to her.

Ren was by himself at that little stream, staring down with eyes identical to his father's brimming with excitement and hair only a few shades darker than his mother's dangling in front of his face. His brown sandals along with his gray britches were covered in mud, especially at the knees. Dirty little handprints tarnished his once-white top, his honey colored, signature Ordonian, waistband, _and_ the maroon sash that wrapped around it. He waited there patiently, yet intently, eager for that moment when one of those tiny little creatures would be still enough so that he could catch it and keep it in a bowl in his room. He would take such good care of it, and, eventually, it would turn into a frog! He would name it something really important sounding like… Rauru after one of the sages, or Darmani after that one Goron hero, or Daphnes after one of the old kings of Hyrule, or maybe even Viscen after the current king (but he heard he wasn't very nice), or – the one he always went back to – Link…

"Ren!" the voice called again, making him jump at the sharp, sudden sound. His quick movement startled the tadpoles and they scattered in a flash, finding refuge in the nearby foliage and lily pads. With a defeated sigh, he leapt from his perch and hustled inside.

"Yes, mother?" he asked monotonously as he closed the door behind him, knowing that she probably had work for him to do and honestly being quite disheartened by the whole tadpole incident – he had really been convinced that today would be the day he finally caught one.

"Go and get us some wood for the fire, would you please?" she inquired sweetly as she bustled about the small kitchen in a hasty flurry to get dinner on the table for her son and her father before bedtime, "With winter creeping up on us we'll soon be freezing in the middle of the night, so we could use all the extra heat we can get."

With a huff, he nodded and turned back toward the door.

"Ren," she cleared her throat, ceasing what she was doing temporarily as she faced him with her hands on her hips, "You know the rule."

He turned back toward her with a look of slight annoyance, "Mom, I'm ten. Do I still have to?"

"Of course you do!" she chirped with a grin as she grabbed her son by the shoulders and planted a kiss firmly on his cheek.

"Bleh!" he grimaced, promptly wiping his face as soon as she withdrew, "Can I go now?"

"Yes, yes, go on," she smiled, "But hurry back! It won't be long before the sun goes down and you know that-"

"I can't be out in the dark. I know, I know."

"Promise me," she demanded firmly.

"I promise," he replied without a second of thought, flying through the door before another word could be said, but he could tell that his mother was still smiling.

The sun hung low in the sky as the young boy ran through the lively village towards the forest. Even though dusk was not far off, many people were outside either hard at work preparing for the harsh winter that was close upon them, or simply enjoying the cool breeze before it got too cold to bear. He splashed through the shallow river that ran through the center of the village, almost accidentally plowing into Beth with her little boy, Evan, to whom he profusely apologized.

"Watch out, kiddo! Been walking long?" Beth teased as she pinched his cheek, knowing that he hated being babied.

He frowned and shrugged her away, but he was unable to hold back the hesitant smile as she giggled at his display.

He tickled Evan and made a silly face, eliciting an excitable grin from the chubby little toddler just before darting off with a wave to Beth and a smile of his own across his youthful features.

He loved the little kids, but he didn't get to see them often enough. A long time ago – before Ren could even really remember – Beth had left the village with Malo in order to help him with opening his shop there, the one he still lives and works out of today. Malo didn't need or even want her help, being that he was always so independent, but he was only 13 years old at the time he chose to open what he claimed would be 'the biggest success in all of Castle Town,' and his parents simply didn't feel right just sending him off alone at such a young age. Malo could not be convinced otherwise, though, and Beth had always wanted to see the castle up close, so they compromised and went together.

Something happened there, however, that no one had expected. Beth met a Hylian soldier at Telma's bar one night, and their instant connection was almost fairytale worthy. His name was Japas, and it only took a single heartbeat for her to get lost in his brilliant hazel eyes. They fell head over heels in love with each other in no time, and they were married very soon after that.

As was everything in their relationship, they wasted no time in having a child together, and she honestly felt like she was in heaven. She had a loving husband, a perfect son, and everything was right in her world.

That was, until it all came crashing down when the king ordered all troops to invade a nearby kingdom. No one understood the purpose of the order, knowing that these were times of peace, and feeling that a petty war to claim something as shallow as additional land or resources when they were already so plentiful to the denizens of Hyrule was unnecessary to say the least. It didn't matter, though, as no one dared defy – let alone talk back to – their king. King Viscen had proved so far to be a... _stern_ leader, putting it mildly, but the people still adored him.

Japas went off to battle, but he never came home. Beth was left heartbroken and alone, and she moved back to Ordon immediately after where she took over her mother's store, confiding in her parents' help with her baby during her utter devastation. Even though it was sad, Ren liked that he was able to see Evan every day.

He missed his uncles, Talo and Malo, terribly. Malo still lived in Castle Town pursuing his greedy dream of being unimaginably wealthy. Talo, on the other hand, had been terribly lonely after both his brother and the girl he considered his sister left home. With his biggest brother, Link, gone, too… it was a really depressing time to be in Ordon, to say the least.

He took up traveling to Kakariko Village quite frequently. He had grown immeasurably fond of both the shaman, Renado, and his daughter, Luda, during the twilight, and he missed them something awful. The older he got, the more he started to realize something… His cheeks grew red hot whenever the dark-haired girl looked at him, his palms got sweaty in her presence, and he found that he was making up more and more excuses to visit the dusty mountainside town. He had fallen for Luda, and he had fallen _hard_.

He could still remember how terribly his hands trembled and how shaky his voice was when he asked her to marry him, but when she said yes, it was like he was little nine-year-old Talo again. He literally jumped for joy and shouted at the top of his lungs. He made a lap around the room and took his soon-to-be father-in-law in for the tightest hug he could muster, and none of them could stop grinning if they had wanted to.

Talo moved to Kakariko Village to be with his new wife quite a few years ago now. Ren hated that he didn't get to see their little girl, Kina, hardly ever – he _did_ hear that they were already expecting another, though, and he just couldn't wait to meet him or her!

As for here, at home… things were mostly quiet. He had Grandpa Bo who was getting older, and as he got older it got harder and harder for him to help around the house, meaning it was up to Ren to step up to the plate for most things – such as collecting logs for the fire. He didn't mind it to be honest; he liked helping, and he liked having an important role in the family, he just wished it was a little _more_ important.

It was just him, his mom, Ilia, and Grandpa Bo in their house, and even though he got lonely sometimes, it was okay. After all, just a few steps away were his Grandpa Rusl, Grandma Uli, Uncle Colin, and Aunt Calie, but he and Calie were so close in age that he considered her more of a sister than an aunt… it even sounded funny when he thought of her that way, as an ' _aunt._ '

He and Calie got into all kinds of trouble together, and he considered her his best friend. He almost spent just as much time with Colin, however, and he absolutely adored his uncle. He loved to learn everything he had to teach him, and he really, _really_ loved all the stories he told him about his father, Link.

Ren couldn't help but notice that Colin always seemed a bit… sad. He tried hard to mask it, and for the most part, he did, but sometimes it was just plastered across his face like paint across canvas. It was the same look his mother, Ilia, got often, and it was the same look his grandma and grandpa Uli and Rusl got even more often. Ren was old enough and smart enough to know it was about his missing father, but, for some reason, Colin just… always seemed like he was having the hardest time coping with it, even this many years later. He had always felt somewhat responsible, even though he knew in his right mind that there was nothing he could have done to lift his big brother's spirits, he still wished he had done _something_. He was also hurt by the fact that Link had left without a word, not even a wave or a glance in their direction. He knew that his brother was left traumatized after his trials as the chosen hero, but that didn't make his sudden departure grieve him any less.

Not a day went by that Ren didn't think about his heroic father and what distant lands he could be traveling or what fearsome monsters he could be slaying at any given moment. He had this valiant image in his head of what his father was, and even though it was true – Link was a hero and the bravest, most selfless man any of them had ever known – no one would dare tarnish that image by letting his son know how far he had fallen at the end.

Most of the villagers had given up hope on Link ever returning, but there were those that still held on. Ilia was one of them, as was Colin, but just in case Ren never did get the chance to meet his father… it was best that he knew only the good things.

Yes… the rest simply didn't feel necessary.

Before he knew it, he was in the clearing that sent chills down his spine each time he passed through it. He gazed up at the tall tree, and at the quaint little home nestled amongst its branches. He had heard many stories about the history of this home, and it intrigued him to no end, but no one ever entered it. Everyone simply… left it as it was.

He had asked his mother if he could have a look, just a simple glance in through the door, but she had instantly told him no. The pain of going in there was just too much for her. She couldn't bear to see his home so empty… to feel the bitter cold in the loneliness and the anguish in the deafening silence. Even allowing Ren to go in by himself would be too much – the questions he would ask and the explanations he would crave would cripple her. It was difficult enough to get through the endless stories he wanted to hear about his courageous father; she hardly kept it together on a daily basis as it was.

Ren glanced all around, first looking to see if there was still daylight so he wouldn't be late getting back home, then checking to see if anyone was around to witness what he was about to do. The sun was still barely shining and he was completely alone. He couldn't help but think to himself, ' _it wouldn't hurt to just take a peek_ …'

He stepped onto the ladder leading up to the silent abode and he grabbed the door knob hesitantly once he reached the top. He held onto it tightly without moving for a brief moment, gulping down the excitement that was so close to bursting before his small hands turned the knob. He pushed the door open slowly at first, only revealing but a small sliver through which he gazed into the dark room on the other side. It was eerily quiet and, honestly, a bit scary looking, but he didn't care. He glanced over his shoulder again, ensuring that he still wasn't being watched. Noticing that he was still alone, he dared to venture a little further inside. He opened the door just wide enough for him to slip through, and he shut it quietly behind him.

What he saw when he looked around was… not exactly what he had expected.

It was dirty, it was dusty, and it was just… cold. It felt so empty, like a part of his heart was missing that he hadn't known was ever there to begin with. He didn't understand, he _couldn't_ understand. He was too young to really grasp it, but what he was feeling was the hole that his absent father had left in his spirit, the heaviness in never knowing, the confusion in wondering… the agony in abandonment.

Ilia told her son much about the history of the treetop dwelling, despite her reluctance in doing so. She told him how Link lived there through much of his adolescent life, and she told him how it was originally his father's, Ren's grandfather's, and how maybe one day in the distant future it could be his as well. However, there were also many stories that she explicitly did not tell him. She didn't tell him about how Link holed himself up in that house after the events of the twilight crushed him, and she certainly didn't tell him about how she had been the one to persuade him to leave in hopes of him finding happiness, even though she knew she was carrying his child.

There was another story, though, that she was sure she would never reveal to him.

* * *

 _10 Years Earlier_

She didn't know how many weeks had passed, how many months; all she knew was that her heart was broken, and she was too embarrassed to face her loved ones.

She had locked herself inside Link's home almost immediately after he left. She opened it for no one, not even her father, and she did not leave. She kept the fire in the hearth going, and she simply sat before it day in and day out. Keeping that fire alive was like keeping his presence alive; it was the only thing that gave her even the slightest form of comfort, as minuscule as it was.

She knew keeping herself hidden away wasn't doing her any good. She knew the situation she was in, and she knew that the longer she kept it a secret, the worse it would be when everyone was to inevitably find out. She didn't care, though. She felt humiliated. She felt stupid. She felt so unbelievably childish and ignorant. She knew she should have told her family – his family – that she was going to have Link's child the very second she was positive about it herself, but she just… couldn't.

She knew everyone's initial reaction would probably be to feel enraged at Link, not understanding the full story and not realizing that he had no idea about any of this, but she just didn't have the strength left in her to explain it to them. And it wouldn't be just explaining it once, either. No, it would be repeating it, and repeating it, and repeating it, over and over again to each and every individual that asked her, and she just knew that she couldn't handle it.

So she stayed there. She stayed perched on the stool he had occupied in front of the fire he had ignited, and she stoked it and prodded it like a nervous twitch, desperate to keep that flame dancing.

She had lost all manner of time, and she was beginning to wonder if this was how Link felt towards the end, as she realized that she was doing something similar to what he had without even acknowledging it. She wondered if he felt as alone as she did, despite the fact that people practically banged the door down each and every day, worry thick in their muffled voices. She wondered if he felt as ashamed as she did, like no matter what choice was made it would have been wrong in one way or another. She wondered if he felt as terrified as she did, like the walls were closing in and the fire was all-consuming and time was the biggest enemy in the entire world.

Alone, ashamed, terrified… That's exactly what she was to the letter. Each emotion was so powerful that it alone would have been enough to cripple her, but the three of them ganged up on her like bullies in a schoolyard, and she was too weak to fight back.

Time ticked on and on, and people begged her through the door to let them help, but she always refused. She had propped a chair underneath the doorknob, and then pushed a nearby table in front of it as well. She was lonely, but she didn't want the company, _couldn't_ have the company… she just couldn't.

Just as was with Link, her friends and family left delicious meals and comforting beverages just outside the small home, hoping that she'd come out and grab them not only so that they could see her, but they were genuinely concerned for her well-being. Bo had pleaded with his lifelong friend, Renado, to stay in Ordon just a little longer to make sure that his little girl was alright. He wasn't the brightest man alive, but he was well aware that the kind shaman had been at her side over the past year spent in turmoil, and he knew that if anyone left in the village could convince her it would probably be him. Of course he couldn't decline, so when it wasn't Ilia's father or her uncle Rusl begging through the door for her to come to her senses it was Renado, but whoever it was didn't even matter to her.

She never stepped outside, not even for the split second it would require to grab the provisions left on the doorstep – she _could not_ let anyone see her. After all, Link _did_ have some water and a few pieces of stale bread left in his cellar, but even as little as she ate she was starting to run low. She felt lightheaded and ill often, and it was severe enough that it would bring her to her knees where she would just sit for as long as it took to subside, or even lay down and pass out for an untold number of hours.

She knew it was beyond stupid, she knew she should be taking solace in her loved ones not hiding from them, she knew she shouldn't be acting this way, but she wasn't in her right mind and, therefore, saw no alternative.

There came a day around five months after Link's departure when her father had had enough of her childish behavior. He knew she was hurting, but Goddess-damn it she needed to see her family and her family needed to see her!

It was evening, and when another meal went untouched by his daughter, Bo banged louder than usual on the wooden door separating them.

"Little girl, that's enough o' this nonsense! C'mon out, you need to get yourself somethin' decent to eat!"

But there was no response.

Even though she never made signs of improvement, she _always_ responded at the very least. She would usually mutter, 'I'm sorry,' or 'I can't,' or 'please just leave.' There was never just… _nothing_.

Because of this, her father immediately went into a full panic.

"Ilia!" he pounded his fist harder, his deep voice practically rattling the logs beneath his feet with its sheer volume, "ILIA!"

His mind instantly went to all the things that could be wrong; had she fallen sick? Gotten herself terribly hurt? Something worse…? He thought of the promise he made to his beloved wife before her passing; he was supposed to keep his little girl from harm, and if he had failed...

"ILIA!"

His cries went anything but unnoticed, a number of villagers rushing to the clearing that was home to that familiar treehouse to notice their mayor at his wit's end.

"Bo!" Rusl called from below, "What is it?"

The larger man turned to his friend in a fluster, "I-Ilia! M-my-my little girl! Sh-she's not answerin' me!"

Rusl gulped down the involuntary fear that gripped him for his friend's daughter – his niece – but he wasted not a moment. He practically soared up the ladder, moved the frantic father aside, and in one swift motion he lunged forward. He braced himself only briefly before plunging his shoulder into the door with all his might. It gave way and he stumbled through a bit before catching himself. Bo rushed in, pushing the chairs and table aside, and Rusl glanced over his shoulder to see Renado making his way up the ladder as well, but not even the wise shaman was prepared for what they were about to find.

The three older men stood paralyzed in the threshold for an untold number of minutes; each one's voice seized up in their throats, their feet planted themselves into the floor, and they could've sworn that their hearts had stopped beating altogether as the color drained from each of their faces.

None of them knew how much time had passed before they finally heard Bo's trembling voice, "A-am I... Am I s-seein' things…?"

Ilia was lying unconscious on the floor in front of the fireplace, lying parallel to the diminishing flames. Her once-vibrant blonde hair was drenched and matted about her shoulders. She was trembling and dark circles encompassed her closed eyes. A small puddle of blood pooled up beneath her vulnerable frame and despite appearing so utterly weak she was clutching something tightly and protectively in her arms. Even though no one was positive what it was, they all had a very, _very_ good idea, but none of them wanted to be the one to say it out loud.

Having been the first to regain control of himself, Renado dashed to the young girl and knelt down beside her. Filled with anxiety, he gently pulled back the thin quilt that Ilia had at some point hastily and shoddily wrapped around the bundle in her arms. He saw what he had presumed was the situation as soon as he had entered and taken it all in, but even though he expected it, it didn't startle him any less.

"Nayru…"

"What is it!" Bo yelled, closing the distance between them a bit, but his nervousness and fear of the worst still holding him back – he didn't want to see her if she was…

But the shaman returned to silence. He placed the back of his hand to Ilia's beet-red cheek, and despite being drenched in sweat she was exponentially cold to the touch. He grabbed a nearby blanket and covered her with it just before slowly and carefully taking the form from her arms into his own, and that's when everyone heard it.

 _Crying_.

It was soft, weak, and almost heart-wrenching, but no explanation was needed.

No explanation, but a bit of a snap to reality, "I suppose you two are grandfathers, then."

Bo began to tear up, and he wanted to smile so badly as he approached the tiny figure in his friend's arms, but he just couldn't - he was still so wrought with fear.

"My-my little girl, Renado… My little girl…?"

"She will be alright," he assured, "With time. It's apparent by her size as well as the baby's that this was quite premature, so they will both require extra monitoring, but I don't doubt that they will be just fine given time to heal."

Bo could smile then, and he outstretched his long arms in hopes of holding his grandchild that he had no idea he was going to have until this very moment. The large man stared down at the small human in his embrace, and even though he couldn't believe what was happening, the sheer joy of becoming a grandfather outweighed all of the unnecessary details.

"Rusl," Bo said, not looking away from the baby for even a second, "We have a grandson! A grandson! Can ya believe it?"

The baby was so small, but he cried with a power beyond his size. His skin was pale and silky smooth, and he had the tiniest little tuft of blonde hair just at his crown. Bo was awestruck and felt the instant love for this boy that he remembered feeling the first time he held his daughter all those years ago.

"How do we know he's Link's?" Rusl asked seriously, grabbing the attention of both men and wiping off their smiles in a flash.

"She and Link were always very close, Rusl," Renado tried, glancing between him and Bo, a bit taken aback at the scruffier man's question, "I just assumed it was a bit of lust and a lot of miraculous intervention from the goddesses that granted us this chi-"

"If Link was going to be a father, he wouldn't have just up and left," Rusl stated, his brow tightened in confusion mixed with slight anger at his son, "There's no way he would have just abandoned Ilia if this was his child."

He knew he was coming across as rather cruel, but that wasn't his intention, and he didn't know how else to phrase it. He said it more so as a means to reassure himself that Link was better than that; he was raised better than that.

"Perhaps he didn't know," the shaman suggested, ever the wisest and most collected in the room, "Perhaps she kept it from him knowing that he would have given up all other callings and endeavors in order to be here for her and their son. We all know the hero well, Rusl," Renado continued, closing the gap between him and his friend and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I am sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was Ilia's conscious decision to keep this from him," he turned to Bo, "She's a very brave and selfless girl, and she didn't want Link to give up what it was he really wanted to do – what he _needed_ to do for his sanity's sake."

Bo smiled, but as the excitement waned ever so slightly the questions started pouring in, "You're the smart one here, Renado – why'd she hide it from us? Why'd she lock herself in here and go it alone? Why didn't she get help? Why did it happen so early? I mean… we saw her, what, five months ago and she wasn't… ya know. Is she sick? Is the baby sick? Is she-"

The shaman lifted a hand to calm him, "You can ask her all of the questions you like once she is well, my friend."

The newfound grandfather smiled again, and Rusl reluctantly did the same as he looked down into the baby's slowly opening eyes. He was shocked and confused, but deep down he knew that this was Link's boy just as the others did - their eyes were identical.

He couldn't help but feel… _bad_ , though; he felt awful because he knew that Link would hate to be missing out on being a father, and he knew that Link would never want to knowingly subject his child to a life devoid of one parent, but no one had any idea where to find him by now. He knew, however, that even if Link had remained here for this, that there was a very high likelihood that he wouldn't have been able to be the father Rusl knew he could be when at his best – he was simply too worn down, too traumatized and was left far too empty. He would _want_ to be the best father he could be, he would give it every damned thing he had in him, but the ends would just never be able to meet, and Link would further hate himself for it.

Ilia knew that, Ilia knew all of it, and that's exactly why she did what she did.

It didn't take long for the rest of the villagers to check out all of the commotion, and the children were beyond ecstatic to have a little one to play with, even though they couldn't exactly do that just yet. Everyone was, of course, dumbfounded, but the sheer joy brought on by a baby was impossible to ignore for any of them, and it was a bittersweet feeling when they realized that even though Link was gone, there was part of him still here with them.

Renado saw to getting the new mother and her tiny infant as comfortable as possible, and he tended to them consistently for days. They stayed in Link's treehouse, as moving them elsewhere would have caused unnecessary stress on the both of them. They prepared a makeshift cot for both her and the baby out of various pillows and blankets, and Bo had fetched his daughter's favorite nightgown from their home that Uli and Pergie dressed her in so that she would be more comfortable. It had been her mother's when she was young, and it was a beautiful, rose-colored satin that flowed loosely off of her fragile form. Uli had brushed out her tangled hair gently as she slept, adoring how the young girl looked when her hair was down as it had grown quite long compared to how she usually kept it.

Ilia came to both briefly and rarely, her body having undergone major stress from not only enduring the process alone, but doing so while being very weak and ill due to lack of proper sustenance and care. Renado told her the first time she woke up that she had a handsome son, and that even though he was incredibly tiny and frail – weighing just barely five pounds – he was tough and pulling through it valiantly. She had smiled then, and Link's name just barely escaped her lips before sleep took her again.

Quite a few days passed before anyone even knew what the baby's name was. Each time Ilia had come to, she had whispered, "Ren… Ren…" but everyone simply assumed she was calling for the shaman.

Almost a week later when she started making better progress, Bo, Rusl, and Renado stood nearby when her father finally asked, "Ilia, does my lil' grandson have a name yet?"

Again, she whispered, "Ren."

Renado had thought it was odd considering no one had called him that since he was a child, but he still just chalked it up to her being slightly delirious and assumed she needed him for something, "Yes, dear, what is it?"

She giggled almost inaudibly and shook her head, motioning toward the bundle in Rusl's arms and repeating, "Ren… His name is Ren."

Rusl and Bo turned to look at the awestruck shaman, and he appeared exactly that. His eyes were wide as saucers, he was stone silent and just as still, and his eyes were frozen into Ilia's.

"His name is… Ren?" he reiterated.

"Yes," she smiled. When the gentle, older man still seemed confused, she elaborated barely above a whisper, "Link didn't know he was going to be a father… but I still asked him for a name anyway, and he said Ren, in order to best honor you for all the things you've done for him – for both of us."

Renado was still as quiet as a tomb, so she added one final thing, "You've saved both of our lives, Renado. We owe so much to you… this is just one way we had hoped to show you that."

When he started to tear up, he hid it extremely well. For now, the only fitting response he could muster was a smile and a heartfelt, "Thank you… truly."

Bo clapped his lifelong friend on the shoulder, "I couldn't agree more."

"Agreed," Rusl grinned, "There was simply no better choice. I only pray that Farore will bring Link back to us soon – to his son."

"She will, Rusl," Renado replied with a genuine smile, "I believe, one day, she will."

Somewhere else entirely but at approximately the same time – where the air wasn't as sweet and the people weren't as friendly but the hours ticked away just as slow – a large, ornate door swung open.

Boots clicked along pristinely glowing tile before clunking onto thick, red carpet. The rug ran narrow along a corridor that was just that, and a grand, lavish chair lay at the end of its trail. The man those boots belonged to stopped just short of the extravagant seat, lowered himself to one knee and hung his head.

"I know why it is you have come," a beautiful, feminine voice echoed in the near-empty hall, the smallest hint of playfulness in its otherwise quite serious tone.

The man lifted his head, "Then you can help me?"

"Perhaps, but… perhaps that isn't the best choice."

The man got to his feet, "I _know_ you can help, and after everything I've done this is all I'm asking of you."

She said nothing, and when the room was far too silent for his liking, he added, "I know she loved me."

The woman's eyes flashed the faintest hint of surprise for the briefest moment before she regained her composure.

"Yes. I'm the one that told her to lie," she declared, having nothing to hide.

The man was taken aback, but he could put up a stone exterior just as well as she could.

"Why?" was all he said.

"She had to take care of her kingdom," the woman replied matter-of-factly, "I am terribly sorry for the pain that it caused you, but a ruler must always put her people first."

He said nothing.

"You must understand," she began, "She is where she is meant to be. She is the ruler of the twilight, and it cannot be without her."

He was still as silent as a tomb, but his gaze locked into hers never faltered.

The woman stared long and hard into his deep blue eyes, and as she got lost in them she saw a number of things. She saw the culmination of an endless amount of torment and agony. She saw a desperate desire to find his sanity and peace of mind again. She saw a once innocent mind aged too rapidly and chained down by unnecessary terrors. But more than anything she saw an overwhelming hunger for closure, an exceptional need for answers – to simply know _why_.

She knew this man was deserving of her assistance more than any individual in the entire land crafted by the deities themselves.

She rose slowly from her seat, her brow tightened and her eyes locked into his persistently.

"If I do this for you, you must promise me that it will not be in vain. You must promise me that no harm will befall my kingdom or my people."

"Princess – sorry, _queen_ ," the man tensed up, exhilaration quickly grabbing hold as his once-impossible dream now had the slight prospect of becoming reality, "I promise I will do everything in my power to keep Hyrule safe. There's no way I would ever let anything happen, Zelda, you know that."

She sighed, "I know."

He smirked then, and she could see that spark of hope flicker in his eyes as he said, "So, there _is_ a chance I could see her again, isn't there?"

Zelda tried to smile, too, and she did slightly, but she was wary of what would come of this – there was a feeling in the pit of her stomach, an uncomfortable knot that just wouldn't let up.

There was only one word he wanted to hear, and that was the only word she could muster.

"Yes."

With that, he gave her an enthusiastic nod before whirling around on his heel towards the exit, eager to meet up with the smartest man he knew in search of all the assistance he could gather.

"Hero," she called out just before he could leave.

He turned back to her, "Princess?"

She gave him a look.

He shrugged with a mischievous grin, "Sorry. Old habits and all that."

She held back the smile that tried to grace her lips, and she did it well. She gulped down the apprehension, the fear, the uncertainty – this was the man that almost died protecting everyone in the kingdom, if she refused to help him of all people, what kind of queen – what kind of _person_ , for that matter – would she be?

Instead of a long-winded lecture, advice she knew would go unheeded, or some elaborate story explaining her uneasiness, she allowed him this brief respite from his pain; he deserved that much.

"I trust you, Link. I truly, truly do. Please… do not let me down."

With his trademark half-smile and a reassuring nod in her direction, he said, "I won't, princess. I promise."

* * *

 _ **The darkest night often makes way for the brightest light.**_

* * *

 _A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!_

Melissa T., Xavier (Star), Lord Zant, Lee Glerum, Eve79

 _You guys are amazing!_


	2. The Hard Way

**A/N:** _This chapter was revised as of 3/6/2016 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

 _This chapter was revised as of 7/19/2016 - Polished, fixed a continuum error pointed out by amazing readers._

 _This chapter was revised as of 6/5/2017 - Polished, bits and pieces added._

* * *

 **When Heroes Fall**

 _By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 2: The Hard Way

 **.:.**

When the sun would inevitably begin its descent in the unfathomable distance, Ren would be tasked with gathering firewood for his family.

It was a routine he once loathed, but now he looked forward to it, and was overjoyed every day when he would notice that dusk was drawing near. His mother found it a tad odd, but she didn't question it; just to see her boy excitable over something made her smile like nothing else could.

Little did she know, however, that if she had been aware of just what it was that was bringing him this joy, she wouldn't have been nearly as pleased. Each and every evening since that first time he stumbled into his father's old home, he would return there. The first few days – weeks, even – he simply sat in the middle of the floor, looking around at all of his hero's various odds and ends, still slightly frightened that he would either get caught or misplace or break something. He had gotten quite good at partaking in the simple delight while still allowing himself enough time to gather the logs his mother requested that he collect; he was able to make it back home before she could ever suspect a thing.

It was something he got better and better at with each progressing day, something that escalated with the rapid ticking of time.

And, boy, did time keep on ticking by.

Those mere days and weeks in which he explored that mysterious treetop dwelling quickly turned into months, and – even more quickly – into years.

There was an indescribable rush in doing something he wasn't supposed to do, in doing something new and exciting, in learning more about his father… it made his heart swell and his blood pump that much faster. He got such a rise out of discovering an old trinket, a photo, anything at all that would give him the slightest bit more information on who his father was as a person. He had heard enough about him as the hero to write a book out of just the tales told by loved ones alone; as Ren grew older, he longed to know the _man_ that was Link, not just what caused the infamy behind his name.

His early years of exploration yielded interesting finds, but nothing that really delved too far beneath the surface. He found images in wooden frames scattered about. One was of some of the goats from the ranch, one was of his uncles Talo and Malo and his aunt Beth when they were just kids, one was of his father's old friend, Fado, and quite a few were of a beautiful horse that Ren was quick to insinuate was Epona.

Only one picture really ever caught his attention, and that was one of a young boy that did not look much different from himself standing beside a beautiful woman. When he was younger, he wasn't sure exactly who it was depicted within that curious image, but as the years went by and he grew older and wiser, he was able to put together that it was his father as a young boy standing beside his mother, Ren's late, biological grandmother, and it was a photo that he grew to cherish and look at fondly with each and every visit to this hallowed place.

There was a strange collection of leaves and twigs beside his father's bed that he would have guessed to be nothing more than a collection of rubbish, but he assumed it must have had some meaning to the mysterious man that Ren might never know. There was also an old, slightly rusted locket on that same bedside table, along with a worn, somewhat tattered and blurry photo of a man he guessed could have possibly been his biological grandfather. But without his _father_ around to inquire of the significance of these apparently sentimental items, he was left to only ponder what importance they could have.

Another thing that came with age and wisdom for Ren, was sorrow. Each day he entered this home, gazed upon the faces of these people he hoped he could meet in these seemingly ancient photographs, and he started to realize that he would never know them. When he was young, the concept of death was one he understood, but one not fully grasped as a child. These photos of his grandparents by blood were all he would ever have of them, and the one of his father as a boy could very well be the only thing he would ever get to have of him. He hated it, and he had days where that thought alone would cripple him.

Those were the days his best friend would take notice.

"Hey, Ren! What'cha up to?" Calie asked, skipping over to him as he sat beside the spirit's spring.

His heart skipped a beat, his mind having been on that of the family he longed so urgently for causing him to jump at the suddenness of her arrival, "Oh, uh, nothing really. What are you doing out here?"

She giggled, taking a seat beside him. Her long, platinum blonde hair was blowing in the breeze that rushed past them, forcing her to instinctually tuck it away behind her ears. She had such a bright smile, and her eyes were a tranquil, light green color that were almost identical to her father's. She wore the typical Ordonian attire with a bit of her own flair. She had on the standard ivory top with dark brown britches, and the signature cloth waistband of the village she adorned was a striking shade of baby blue with a bright yellow tassel around it to hold it in place. She decorated the belt herself by attaching pretty gems, stones, and flowers she found lying about. She had always been more of a ' _tomboy_ ,' of sorts, but that didn't mean she didn't like adding a little feminine touch to things, either. Ren liked how she didn't fit into a certain mold, per se; she was a good big sister to look up to, and, even though they were similar in age, she always found herself being quite protective of him.

"I know you hang out here when you've got something to think about. Can't hide anything from me, little brother," she said.

He smiled; he liked when she called him that. Technically, she was his aunt, but they never looked at it that way. Being only one year apart and having grown up together their whole lives (only ever being separated by a shallow stream between their households), it never even crossed their minds to think of one another as anything other than siblings.

"I know, I know."

"So, then, what is it?" she asked inquisitively.

He shrugged, not wanting to sound mopey but also just not really wanting to discuss it, "Just wish I could meet my dad is all."

Calie frowned. The topic of the hero was one most commonly tiptoed around by practically everyone in the village. He left before Ren was born, and when Calie was much too young to remember him at all. Rusl told them some stories, but most everyone else kept quiet. They supposed it wasn't out of disrespect or any sort of pent up emotion, just out of sheer difficulty in thinking about it. No one knew what had become of him, and that vast uncertainty in not knowing, the limitless possibilities that could hold the fate of their beloved hero… it was often too much for anyone to think about, even the more optimistic of the bunch.

"Do you think you'll get to meet him one day?" she asked, genuinely curious of his thoughts on the matter.

They didn't talk about it very often, in fact, they hardly ever did, but when it _did_ come up, Calie could see how much more it bothered her friend as time went on.

"I don't know," he replied, "I want to, but I'm just not so sure anymore."

"I think you will."

He looked up at her then, and she was smiling from ear to ear.

"In fact, I'm almost positive you will!" she went on, "You just have to! Right? I mean… mom and dad talk about how heroic and brave he was and all this stuff, so… I kinda don't think a guy that did all those awesome things and saved everyone in the _whole kingdom_ would just be gone forever. You know?"

He was silent, but he looked hopeful.

"Yeah, just… _nah_ ," she shook her head, "There's no WAY he'd just be gone forever. He sounds like he was way too cool to let anything bring him down, and if he's as awesome as everyone says, then you take after him for _sure_ , Ren. He's gotta come back for _you_ at least, right?"

"Mom says he doesn't know about me," he chimed in, "She's told me that time and time again, wanting to make sure I know that he didn't choose to leave me because he just… didn't know about me."

"Well, doesn't that make you feel better?"

"I guess," he shrugged, "I just miss him. Well, wait… does that make sense? Can you miss someone you've never even met?"

"Sure you can!" she smiled brightly again, "Missing them sort of… keeps you thinking about them, you know? Makes sure you don't forget they existed. Missing people is important! Keeps them from becoming some myth, or a fairytale; keeps them real, if that makes sense."

He chuckled, "You're awfully profound for your age."

"Pfft!" she shoved his shoulder hard, toppling him over slightly into the water, "I'm older than you! How can you say ' _for your age_ ' to me when I'm clearly so much wiser and more mature than you?" she teased, tilting her chin up high to signify her mock superiority.

"Right, right… Wiser and more mature, sure, Calie, sure. Keep telling yourself that when you spend your days arguing with Evan over what game to play next – need I remind you that he's SIX and you're FIFTEEN, Calie!" he rose to a yell at the end, trying to play it off as serious for the humor in it but he just couldn't help but break down laughing.

She reciprocated his whole-hearted laughter with that of her own, grasping her sides as they began to ache. They seemed to fill up the entirety of the surrounding forest with their sounds of joy and lightheartedness, which had gained the attention of Rusl who hadn't been too far away.

"It's getting dark, children. You need to start heading back into town," the older man declared as he approached them from behind.

"Ugh, dad, we aren't children anymore, you don't have to call us that," Calie whined.

"Listen to me, Calie," he said firmly, "Your mother and brother could use your help back home."

She sighed, "Yes, daddy," and she dragged her feet all the way back into the village.

Just as Ren was following behind her, Rusl stopped him.

"Ren, my boy, I get the feeling something has been bothering you," he said seriously, his thick brow now tense.

"It's nothing, grandpa," he tried, but he was never very good at lying.

The older man gave him a knowing look, folding his arms over his chest in anticipation of the correct answer.

Ren huffed and glanced down at his feet, knowing that he couldn't trick anyone with that line as much as he wished he could, "I just don't really wanna talk about it."

"Ren," Rusl sighed, not really sure where to begin as he knew good and well just what was bothering the younger boy, "I know you hate that you don't know your father. I know it's difficult living with only a mental image of this man that seems like nothing more than a legend to you…"

He paused, taking a moment to observe his grandson's expression, which hadn't changed much. Rusl wasn't really surprised, though; this spiel was one the boy had heard countless times from everyone throughout the entirety of his life – he knew he needed to change it up if he wanted to make any sort of an impact this time.

He cleared his throat and altered course, "Link was a good man – putting it lightly. He did what was _right_ , and _just_ , and never thought of himself before anyone, even those that were cruel or misguided. You know all these things about your father, how noble and brave he was, but what many people may not tell you is that he was not perfect. He was human, just like all of us, and he was prone to foolishness just as anyone would be."

Ren seemed a bit more attentive as Rusl went on.

"He did not know about you; none of us did until you were thrust upon us," he forced a chuckle then, a futile attempt at lifting his spirits, "He left because he was at last convinced to think of his own wellbeing for quite possibly the first time in his life. His trials as the hero left him…" he tried to think of a fitting word that wouldn't be so horribly blunt, "well, _scarred_ , I suppose. It pained us all to see him like that, and your mother let him go despite how desperately she wanted him to stay."

Ren was still silent, so Rusl continued.

"Your father wouldn't want you to be upset; it would devastate him to find out he had a son he'd been missing all these years – were he around. He hated to upset anybody… he was-"

"You want me to feel better, but have you even noticed that you keep talking about him in past tense?" the younger Ordonian suddenly blurted.

The boy's sharp words were as subtle as a blunt hammer straight to the head; Rusl was caught completely off guard.

"I-," he stammered, but he didn't know what to say. Ren was right; he'd been referring to Link as if he was already gone without even realizing it.

Ren forced a weak, crooked smile that was far too indistinguishable from his father's, "It's okay, gramps," he said after a bit of awkward silence.

He didn't want to make Rusl feel bad, but… nobody seemed to understand that when they were attempting to make him feel better, they were usually only making it worse by inadvertently talking about his father as if he was dead. Perhaps it was because, even though they all pretended to be strong and optimistic for his sake, deep down they had all lost hope years ago.

Ren moved past his grandfather and began making his way toward the village when Rusl called out his name one more time.

The young boy turned around with a look of exhaustion. It wasn't a drowsy kind of exhaustion, but rather it was an exhaustion from listening to the same one-liners and inspirational speeches since he was young enough to remember them. Exhaustion from putting on a happy face when another villager would remind him that his father was a good man, that his father was brave, that his father would be proud of him, blah, blah, blah. He appreciated that they were all trying to console him, but he just didn't know how much longer he could keep pretending that it put him at ease when it really only upset him more.

Rusl stared into this boy's deep blue eyes for a good while, and the longer he looked, the more he saw his own son… Link. And that's when he knew what to say.

"You are just like your father, my boy."

At that, Ren perked up, and the slightest spark ignited in his eyes that Rusl hadn't seen in years.

Ren smiled, gave his grandfather an appreciative nod, and that was all that was needed.

When he reached his home, the sun was just setting beyond the distant mountains, and his mother was waiting for him at the door.

"Hi, sweetie," she greeted with a smile as she went in for a hug as she normally did.

He reciprocated, and she squeezed him tighter. After a moment she pulled back, placed her hands on his cheeks, he leaned down just a tad – as he had grown just ever so slightly taller than her – and she placed a loving kiss on his forehead. She did this every day, and while he remembered getting quite tired of it in his earlier years, he'd grown fond of the closeness he shared with his mother as he matured.

"Did you have a nice day?" she asked, finally releasing her son as she hurried into the kitchen to tend to dinner.

"It wasn't bad," he answered plainly.

She cast him a glance over her shoulder knowingly, but she was quick to return to the hearth, understanding her boy well enough to know it wouldn't help to pry any further.

"I hope you and Calie didn't get into any trouble today," she teased.

He chuckled, "Only a little."

He sat down at the table in the middle of the room and grabbed an apple from the wooden bowl that lay in the center. He polished it on his sleeve before glancing back over at his mother. She had her medium-length blonde hair piled up into a messy bun atop her head, with loose strands scattered about and mingling with her short bangs. She donned a lavender, floral apron across her favorite ivory blouse and tan trousers. She always hated wearing shoes, and so she was always barefoot. He remembered asking her why she never wore sandals when he was very young, and she always explained that it helped her feel more in tune with nature and with the animals – plus, she just loved the sensation of fresh grass between her toes.

Ren looked up the stairs to see a faint, glowing light emitted from the bedroom – Ilia must've already gotten the fire started upstairs so that he would be warm when he got home. He then glanced down the hall in front of him to where his grandpa Bo spent most of his time. His mother had told him that his grandfather used to be a master sumo wrestler, and that he once honed his craft within that wide, open room. Ren couldn't help but chuckle at the mental image of his old grandpa wrestling, but he hadn't done it in years. That area of their home had long since been converted into another bedroom in which the older man spent almost all of his time. Ilia would often go in there and simply sit and chat with her father for hours on end while Ren was out and about, and Bo adored getting to spend each and every day with his daughter and grandson. The years, however, had not been kind to him, and he was ill often, which was why he mostly stayed in his room and rested, but Ilia took good care of him, and for that he was grateful.

"How's grandpa?" Ren asked as the thought crossed his mind.

"Stubborn, as always. But he's just fine," she smiled, "He's fallen asleep a bit early so be sure to keep your voice down."

He nodded and took a bite of his apple, the delicious aroma of whatever his mother was cooking for dinner enticing his hunger far too much.

Another thought crossed his mind then that he blurted before really giving it thought, "Grandpa Rusl said today that you convinced my dad to leave," he started, and Ilia instantly froze, "Is that true?"

She told him so many stories of his father, fewer of herself, and fewer still of their last moments together. She had known for some time that the day would come in which her son would grow smart enough to begin piecing bits together, but it didn't make her dread said day any less.

She set down what she was doing but kept her back to him, replying simply and evenly, "Yes."

"Why?" he inquired. He didn't sound angry or frustrated, not even upset, just curious.

She sighed and turned toward him slowly, "He was unhappy," she scoffed, "Well, considerably more than just _unhappy_ ; he was absolutely broken when his task was complete."

"I know that much, mom; you've explained this all before. What I don't understand is why leaving his family would help him. Why would leaving all these people here that loved him make him happier?"

She inhaled sharply and exhaled exceptionally slow, closing her eyes for the duration of several heartbeats that felt like barely half that.

"Mom?" he pressed further, wanting answers.

She was silent. She had no clue what to say. Part of her resented Link for leaving her to have to explain all of this to their son, even though it was her decision to send him off obliviously. Had she known he would be missing for this long… she wasn't so sure she would still have been able to let him go.

She could explain to her child that his father left because he was utterly _ruined_ at the conclusion of it all, but how can the words alone put into perspective just how _much_ Link was destroyed at the end of his journey? They can't, and no fancy variation of syllables or random combination of terms throughout the entirety of the land crafted by the goddesses could achieve that. He wouldn't be able to understand, simply _couldn't_ , and because of that she knew it was pointless to try to elaborate. Besides… she was not about to tell him about Midna.

"Mom, I just wanna know," he tried again, "Did you decide not to tell him about me because you thought that wouldn't have been enough to make him stay? Because he didn't really want a kid?"

She furrowed her brow in sadness that he had made that conclusion before grabbing her son's hand in her own, "Of course not, Ren. Your dad would have loved you with every fiber of his being. He would have dropped absolutely everything to be here with you."

"So, _that's_ why you told him to go."

She froze again; he was way too smart for his own good.

"He left because you convinced him to, because he wouldn't have left otherwise… You kept me a secret to ensure that he would leave."

She stopped a moment, took a breath, and responded, "Yes."

"That's still the part I don't get," he fidgeted in his seat, "Why did he have to leave to be happy?" he removed his hand from hers, and it was becoming apparent that his simple curiosity was growing into agitation, but she didn't blame him for it.

She sighed again; how could she possibly make him understand this?

"He saw and did many things while he was away, the majority of which I don't even know. He said he felt suffocated here…" she paused, the sadness she battled with each and every day getting the better of her, "I've always related it to a bird trapped in a cage to help myself understand it better; he'd seen everything there was to see of the world, and being stuck here was like clipping his wings."

Ren glanced down at the apple in his hand, the light, exposed insides from where he took his bite slowly turning brown.

"He told me of recurring nightmares that kept him from sleeping. Anxiety that kept him from having a moment of peace. Mental images and sounds that disturbed him every second of every day. I…" she exhaled dejectedly and hung her head, "It's truly something _I_ can't even grasp, Ren, so I don't expect you to."

The young boy clenched the fruit in his palm a bit tighter, "Why didn't anyone here just try to help him?"

"We did, son," she assured, his pent up frustration apparent to her, "We all loved your father so much, we did everything we could. He was… inconsolable."

He was quiet for quite a long time, longer than Ilia liked, and she could tell he was thinking long and hard on all of this. He had always been intelligent beyond his years, and it was clear to her that he was considering and analyzing every word she had said.

"What is it, Ren?" she finally asked, her tone a tad flat and her voice soft as she prepared herself for whatever he could possibly say.

"I just… I can't help but wonder if you still think you made the right choice. Do you think it's fair that I don't get to know him because of a decision you made single-handedly that affected all of us before I was even born?"

Even though she had prepared herself, nothing would have readied her for that. Those words paralyzed her, and though she knew her son well enough to know that he would likely come to regret and apologize for it later as hurting his mother was never something he wanted to do, it didn't reduce the sting.

While it hurt… it was a justifiable question, and one she asked herself every single day. Had she made the right choice? Was it right of her to determine the fate not only of herself and of Link, but of their son as well? She'd made the decision all on her own to convince Link to leave, knowing that she was carrying his child – at the time, it seemed like the only thing that would help him overcome his pain, and maybe it still was, but to keep him from his son was something she hadn't thought deeply enough into back then. And Ren… she had chosen for her boy to grow up fatherless… But it wasn't entirely her fault! She would try and trick herself, reminding herself that she had no way of knowing that Link would never return. She thought he would come riding back in on Epona – at most – a year later, all of his woes eliminated and his sorrows vanquished. She imagined that he would be the Link he used to be, happy and carefree, and that he would greet her lovingly in his strong arms.

As the years ticked away, however, she had come to realize that that was nothing more than her childish naiveté getting the best of her.

Ren could see the grief in his mother's eyes and he was quick to speak up, "I'm sorry, mom. I didn't wanna hurt your feelings, I'm just upset."

He got to his feet and tossed the barely-eaten apple into the nearest waste basket, "I'm not hungry. I'm just gonna go to bed," and with that, he headed upstairs without another word.

Ilia was left with nothing more than her own punishing thoughts. She folded her arms atop the table in front of her and dropped her head on top of them where she stayed for the remainder of the night.

Ren hardly slept, and he was up and out of the house just seconds before the sun started rising. Nobody else was awake just yet, and he was still in a fluster over the conversation he had with his mother the night prior. He hated to make her feel bad, but he felt after all of his long years of silence that he had the right to at least ask her what she thought. Maybe he could have worded it nicer, maybe he could have sounded less bitter about it, but, honestly, he didn't regret what he said, only that it had to hurt her.

He figured it would all be blown over and forgotten in a couple days' time, anyway.

He headed straight through the quiet village to that same treehouse, knowing the instant he got out of bed that he wanted to explore his father's old home further than he ever had to date. He knew of quite a many cracks and crevices, and even a basement, that he had yet to venture into for fear of being away too long and worrying his family. Now, however, it was early enough and he had grown impatient enough that he simply didn't care.

He ascended the ladder as he had done countless times before, and shut the front door behind him eagerly. He turned to face the cold, barren room, looking at it from a whole new perspective without the concern of acting quickly looming over him. All his prior visits here, there was always an anxiety, a fear in getting caught or discovered, like a child purposely disobeying his or her parents. Which, technically, he supposed that's what he was, but he decided he simply shouldn't have to feel that way. He was old enough to know what he was doing, and damn near mature enough to learn more about his father. He could barely get any information from the townsfolk, so, he figured, he would just have to take it for himself – honestly, the minimal searching he had done over the past few years was where he gained most of his knowledge on the missing hero anyway.

He started by really taking in all the little odds and ends that, usually, he simply overlooked for pressure of taking too much time. His father had so many strange baubles and mesmerizing trinkets, and Ren couldn't help but wonder if they came from some distant land, or if they had some kind of mystical powers.

He could tell that no one had really moved anything since his father last occupied this space – well, at least, he assumed. There were pails, saddles, and blankets in almost every corner of the room as each item came quite in handy for farming. There was a pitchfork on the wall and a lasso wrapped around it. Beneath the second level was a bookcase filled to the brim with books mostly detailing Hyrule's vast history, a few about farm life, but even more accounting the Hero of Time.

"Hero of Time?" Ren whispered to himself perplexedly, running his fingers along the dusty spine.

He leafed through the pages, skimming words here and there and gathering that this man had been a hero much like his father was, and yet, he had never heard any of these stories.

He closed the book, returned it to its former place, and continued looking.

There were many crates and even more wooden barrels strewn about the cold home. The young boy found it odd when he spotted quite a few glass bottles lying in various locations on the floor. There was a pot hanging in the hearth, and it was then that something shining caught his eye. He reached his hand into the fireplace and grabbed for what it was that was shimmering in the light, but what he found when he withdrew his hand left him stumped.

Ren furrowed his brow as he looked at what lay in his palm; it was crumpled, tiny bits of what appeared to have once been a stone or a crystal. The little pieces he had retrieved were black and orange in color, and some parts were so pointy that he accidentally pricked his finger on it. He inhaled sharply, but the quick discomfort was gone just as fast, and the boy just _knew_ that there was something important about this.

Most of the things he found here he found some excitement in, but he would have never considered removing them. This, however, piqued his interest far too much, and something deep down in his gut told him he should take as many shards as he could, so that was what he did.

He reached back into the cold hearth and scooped up the fragments that had retained a bit of shape to them, the ones that hadn't been shattered too much past saving. Thrilled at his find and keen to discover what these mysterious remains were, he stuffed them all into his pocket and was just heading towards the door when something else caught his attention.

The cellar.

He had seen it the very first time he stumbled into his father's home as a much younger child, but, at the time, he was far too frightened to enter the pitch black basement. Right now, however, he was feeling as if he was on a roll, and he could only imagine all of the amazing things he might find down there.

He glanced around, in search of something that would give him a source of light to take down with him. Right at the top of the ladder he found a lantern filled about halfway with oil, and he took a moment to contain his excitement before lighting it up and climbing down into the basement.

It was so dark that he couldn't see anything beyond the little light the lantern gave off, and while it slightly creeped him out, it wasn't downright terrifying like it had been when he was little. He held the flame up high, looking around for anything interesting to catch his eye, and it certainly didn't take long at all for a multitude of things to do just that.

His dad had so many cool things down here! Ren couldn't help but scream inwardly as he glanced about frantically like a restless child in a toy shop; there was so much here that he wasn't sure what to look at first. There were shelves upon shelves of trinkets lined up. There were bottles filled with potions, goo, and some more odd things that he couldn't put his finger on. There were pots and vases stacked up high, and there were boxes and chests littered about. Some were empty, some were filled with mediocre objects, and some were filled with things that Ren found most enticing.

One chest was filled with nothing but arrows. Arrows, upon arrows, upon arrows. How many did he need? Well, a lot, he supposed, if he used his bow quite often, and he guessed that he probably did. If there were this many _here_ , though, then how many did he keep on him at any given time?

Ren's eyes went wide at the thought.

One of the smaller chests was barren, but the one beside it held something he hadn't been expecting. He set the lantern down beside it and reached inside, pulling out what he assumed was his father's old clothes. They were in the traditional Ordonian style, and Ren guessed that he had put them down here because he mostly wore the infamous green getup he'd heard so much about. He held the off-white shirt up against his chest, noticing that it was quite large for him. He threw it on over his own anyway, turning to face the nearby full-length mirror to get a look at himself. He smiled slightly, but it wasn't enough; he needed something more.

When he turned back toward the ladder, he noticed a huge, ornate chest just behind it. He gasped out loud, picked up the lantern, and hastened over to it enthusiastically. He set the light back down beside the chest and he opened it anxiously. What he found inside was – to him – nothing short of discovering an ancient treasure trove filled with endless wonders.

His jaw fell agape as he pilfered through the goodies, each one astonishing him more and more as he went. He found a stash of rupees; yellow ones, red ones, purple ones, and even orange and silver ones. He found a bag of bombs; there were normal ones, and there were some that looked like spiders and some that looked like fish. There was a rickety fishing rod and a measly slingshot. There was a strange mask that resembled a hawk, and there was an even stranger wand, or rod, that looked like it was hundreds of years old.

He pulled as many of those first few objects out as he could and set them aside, allowing him to dig in further and see what lay beneath the surface.

That was when he found the even more exciting bits. He found an ornate, feathered boomerang and an intensely heavy metal ball and chain that he couldn't even lift out of the chest if his life depended on it. He found equally as heavy boots made out of pure iron, and then he found a sword.

Ren's mouth hung open in excitement. He reached for the hilt of the rather plain looking Ordon sword and pulled it out. It was a bit heavy, but he was still able to hoist it up. He turned back toward the mirror as he held the sword high.

He puffed out his chest and held his chin up, "I am Link!" he declared, "I am the hero! Fear me!"

And just like that, he was nothing more than a little kid again. His inner child burst forth as he swung the iron blade at imaginary foes, pretending he was the brave warrior his father was, slaying monsters and defeating demons as if it was a casual day.

In his frenzied state of make-believe, he was careless.

When he accidentally took one step just a hair too far back, the little lantern he had been using for a light source toppled over, the oil and flame quickly dancing out along with it. He gasped in fear as the glass shattered and the spread of fire was anything but slow, and in his state of shock, he backed up into a metal rack of shelves. The misstep caused him to fall down onto his back, and the heavy piece of furniture toppled over onto him. He let out a pained cry as its immense weight along with that of its hefty contents pinned him down beneath it.

He grunted and strained against the pressure as it covered him from the waist down. He tried desperately to free himself, but he simply was unable to.

"Help!" he screamed, panic gripping him in a chokehold, "Help! Please! Anyone!"

As he squirmed and writhed for what felt like several minutes but was probably only several seconds, deep, unbridled fear unlike anything he had ever felt took its hold. As he watched the flames slowly – but it felt so, _so_ rapidly – take over the wooden home and his incessant screams went unheard, he started to lose hope.

Back in the village, the sun had been up already for quite some time, and the townsfolk were awake and ready to start their days.

Ilia didn't like the fact that her son was already gone before she awoke, and her mothering instincts were quick to kick in and tell her that something was amiss. She stepped outside of her small home, noticing that some of the villagers were already out as well. All seemed normal, but she just _knew_ it wasn't.

Rusl was one such that was up and about just as early and having been directly across from his niece when she emerged from her house, he immediately caught sight of her disturbed expression.

He made his way over to her, "Ilia, what's wrong?"

"It's Ren," she muttered, glancing in each direction around the humble village.

"Ren?" Rusl reiterated, "What's wrong with Ren? Where is he?"

She was silent as she caught a whiff of something.

"Smoke," she whispered, eyes wide, "Smoke, Uncle Rusl, do you smell it?"

He sniffed the air as well. It was faint, but it was there, "Yes, I do, but I- wait!" he tried, but his young niece suddenly darting past him stopped him short.

"Ilia, wait!" he shouted as he ran after her. He had no idea what the smoke could be, but in case it was the work of something malicious he didn't want her getting close to it.

She paid him no mind, pumping her legs as swiftly as she could as the nearer she drew the more visible a large, dark cloud in the air became from behind the trees.

When she emerged in the clearing she was all too familiar with, the source of the smoke was plain as day. That beloved treehouse… Link's treehouse… was up in flames.

Rusl caught up to her at last and the sight took his breath away.

"What could have caused this?" he mumbled.

But Ilia knew. She always knew.

Just as she was about to sprint towards the house, Rusl grabbed her forearm, "What do you think you're doing?"

She looked back at him with terror behind glassy eyes, "Ren's in there, Uncle Rusl."

"What?" he spat, "No, he can't be."

They were both silent for a split second but the look on her face convinced him.

"How do you know?"

"I just do. He's been coming here for years, and he thought I didn't know," she answered as she pulled her arm away and made for the burning home, Rusl close at her heels.

He was a bit surprised, but it didn't really _shock_ him, "He was coming here to feel closer to his father…"

"Exactly."

Without wasting another moment or even taking the precious time to devise a plan, they both charged through the front door in a flurry. The flames were making their way up the walls, and it was initially obvious that they were originating from the basement as the usually dark cellar was unnaturally lit up. They darted over to the small opening and Ilia immediately flew down the ladder, but just as Rusl went to follow her, the top few rungs crumbled beneath his feet, the surrounding heat having weakened the wooden steps drastically. Luckily, he was still high enough up that he was able to catch himself on the main floor of the home, saving himself from falling.

He pulled himself up and looked down to see a worried Ilia on the bottom floor.

"Get Ren, stack some boxes up, and I'll pull you both up from here," he instructed sternly, trying to remain as calm as possible for her sake.

Ilia nodded, raising an arm over her face to shield her eyes from the debris and ash in the air. She glanced around for her boy, noticing that a large shelf was overturned. She dashed to it, finding Ren lying unconscious beneath it on the other side.

"Ren!" she yelled, shaking his shoulders briefly before getting to work on freeing him from his likely painful confines.

He batted his eyes, slowly coming to, "Mom?"

"Help me get you out of this," she demanded.

In a flash, he was wide awake again, "O-Okay," he stuttered fearfully.

"I'm going to lift it. You pull yourself out quick as you can," she instructed, not giving him a second to debate it as they already had no time to spare.

She wrapped her fingers around the underneath of the shelf, and with a disgruntled grimace and the use of all of her strength, she pulled it just high enough off of her son for him to get himself free.

He groaned something awful as the removal of the heavy weight made him realize how much it had hurt his legs, but the adrenaline of the situation helped him stumble to his feet.

Before he could even fully gather himself, his mother was doing her best to stack boxes and crates up in a staircase-like fashion for them to get out, and Rusl was at the top with his arm extended towards them, shouting at them to hurry as the flames grew and grew.

The sound of crackling and splintering wood was terrifying, as it felt like the entire structure could cave in on top of all of them at any given moment. Whole planks fell down around them, Ren shielding his head with his arms each time he would hear the horrifying sound. Debris filled the air and it was getting unbearably difficult to breathe as smoke filled their lungs more and more with each wasted moment trying to escape.

"Come on!" Ilia exclaimed, motioning for Ren to hop up the makeshift stairs ahead of her as she needed to ensure his safety before her own.

He hobbled a bit at first, still trying to awaken his aching legs, but he only made it halfway up the boxes before another downright bone chilling sound reached his long ears.

"Oh no," he whispered, glancing down at what he assumed the sound was. Much to his dismay, he had been right, but he had also been too late to do anything about it.

The sound was an initial _spark_ followed by a low _hiss_ , and he knew instantly that it was the bombs' fuses being ignited by the blaze just beneath him.

"MOM! Watch ou-"

The explosion halted him. It halted everything.

All he could hear was a painfully high-pitched ringing in his ears, and he shut his eyes as quick as he could upon impact. He felt intense fire at his legs, and for only a split second he could feel himself falling before he felt a sturdy hand wrap around his arm and grab him as tight as possible. He felt himself being pulled up, but he could hardly open his eyes, and he still couldn't hear a damn thing.

A second later, another _boom_ , and another ringing. Another _boom_ , and another ringing. Another _boom_ , and another ringing.

It sounded so distant in his overloaded eardrums, but he could tell it was the copious amount of various bombs going off one after another... after another... after another.

He could feel heat all around him, but when he opened his eyes he saw only bright hues of red and orange amongst his otherwise pure white vision. He felt himself being hoisted up, and he could barely make out the face of Rusl above him, dark soot splattered across his horrified features. His savior was moving chaotically, dipping and dodging, running and leaping. What Ren didn't know was that the floor was literally burning and dropping out from underneath them. Rusl was sprinting as fast as he could through the house to get to the exit. Even though the area was small, the fire had made it an obstacle course. Burning debris littered their path, and missing chunks of floorboards that led to nothing more than a pit of fire below stood in their way as well. Oxygen was becoming more and more sparse, and in Ren's state of half-alertness he could see the ceiling caving in on top of them.

When Rusl finally emerged outside, most of the villagers were just storming into the clearing as the cloud of smoke in the sky had become positively unavoidable. He heard one final _boom_ from behind them, and before it could make their ears ring one last time he leapt from the top of the balcony and tucked himself and Ren into a roll upon hitting the grass. The momentum carried them a bit farther before he finally released and they both simply lie there.

Some of the villagers were paralyzed in fear, some of them gasped out loud and shrieked in terror, and some were brave enough to approach the two ashen forms in the grass. Colin and Calie were the first to react, rushing to Rusl and Ren as fast as they could. Beth left her young son, Evan, in her mother's care as she ran to them with haste, Uli right at her side.

"Dad!" Colin shouted, fear thick in his shaky voice, "Ren!"

Ren could hear the cries of his loved ones, and it roused him slightly. His sister's hand suddenly grabbing his own inched him that much closer, his eyes flickering open as she called his name.

Beth and Colin crumbled to their knees beside Rusl, his niece grabbing his hand and his son placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Uncle Rusl, are you okay?" Beth inquired.

"What happened!" Colin demanded.

"My love," Uli muttered, kneeling down between her husband and her grandson, glancing between the both of them, "Please say something..."

After taking those few moments to collect himself, Rusl wordlessly sat up, staring at the burning wreckage in front of them. His eyes were glazed over, and even though distraught faces and concerned pleas surrounded him, he said nothing.

Calie watched her father apprehensively, before turning back to Ren whom the others were all now nervously looking over as well.

"Little brother," she whispered, "Let me know you're okay? Please?"

He opened his eyes bit by bit, coughing horribly as he fully came to. He glanced around, seeing everyone huddled close by. That is, everyone except…

"Mom?" he croaked, "Where's my mom?"

Uli furrowed her brow, turning, then, toward her husband, "Yes… Where is Ilia?"

Rusl exhaled the longest, most painful breath he had ever taken, allowing his face to fall into his open palm as he squeezed his temples, wishing this was all nothing more than some horrible nightmare.

He knew that he had done what he had to do, but that didn't make it any easier. He could see the look on Ilia's face mere milliseconds before the explosion hit. In that minuscule window of time, he could see the fear in her eyes as plain as day. That fear, however, was not for herself by any means – it was fear for her child. Being a parent himself, he knew the look well, and she was ten times more terrified for Ren's safety the second she heard those bombs go off. Rusl would've wanted nothing more than to be able to jump down that cellar hatch and rescue his niece, but he knew it was a lost cause, and getting Ren out of there alive was his top priority, lest Ilia's death be in vain. So many bombs had gone off next to her, creating even more flames to engulf her and even more debris to crush her… There was just no possible way of saving her from that. It was a downright sickening realization, but he knew that he had been utterly powerless in the situation, and perhaps that was part of what made it so hard.

Uli could read her spouse's reaction like a book, and she looked to the burning house before them with her jaw slack, whispering, "Oh, _no_ … No, no, no… It can't be…"

Ren sat up and looked around still in a slight daze, but it only took registering the distraught expressions of those around him to piece everything back together.

"MOM!" he suddenly screamed, leaping to his feet in a flash, but a crippling agony in his leg forced him to stumble back down to his hands and knees.

"Gods, Ren! Your leg…" Calie shuddered, gasping and covering her mouth with her hand.

He glanced down at it. It was bleeding profusely, and a large chunk of it was… _missing_. The outside of his left calf had taken most of that initial explosion, and because of that, a massive portion of his flesh was just… _gone_. All the muscles and tendons were clearly visible, almost down to the bone. What remained intact of his leg was severely burned.

He paid no attention to any of it. He got back up and started hobbling towards the scorching house.

"Stop!" Colin yelled, dashing forward and grabbing the younger boy's arm.

"NO! _You_ stop!" he shouted back even more fanatically, staring at his older brother figure with determination and fear written plainly across his face, "I have to get my mom out of there!"

"Ren…" Rusl called steadily, getting to his feet and approaching him and Colin; his calming tone silencing everyone. He had a look of complete and utter despair, and the amount of guilt in his green eyes was chilling. He simply stood before his grandson for a moment, breathing deep and taking in the boy's expression. Ren was quivering something awful, and his eyes were wide in pleading desperation.

The older man's gaze did not falter until he finally whispered, "She's gone, Ren… I'm so sorry…"

The sheer volume of the silence was deafening. There was no sound, no movement, no smells or sights to behold. No one uttered a word, no one so much as twitched a finger, and the erupting flames behind him were completely absent to him. There was just nothing at all.

Ren's deep, sapphire eyes remained locked on those of his grandfather for what felt like an eternity. He felt trapped, alone… scared. If Ren didn't look away, maybe Rusl would fix it. If he stared long enough, maybe it would all go away. This couldn't be happening, couldn't have happened, _shouldn't_ have happened. His mom wasn't, really… _gone_ … right? She couldn't be…

"No…" Ren barely uttered, beginning to shake his head slowly, "No…"

Rusl sighed, "I'm sorry, my boy…"

"No…" he said again, his eyes glassing over, "No…"

The older man placed a gentle hand on the lad's shoulder, but found he had no more words to say.

Ren finally slammed his eyes shut, an overflow of tears at last escaping his lashes and cascading down his cheeks as he collapsed to his knees.

Rusl glanced behind him to his wife who was openly crying as well. They had been there the day Ilia was born… they never suspected they would be around for the day she was gone. Calie, Colin, and Beth were teary-eyed just the same, as were almost all of the villagers as he turned to look at them one by one. They all looked so sullen, so confused. Evan, the youngest one at only six, was even upset, even though he likely wasn't exactly sure what was happening – it was the collective sorrow of everyone around him that made him realize something was very, very wrong. Bo, he noticed, was not among them. He was likely still at home, sleeping soundly in his bed, and that was for the best, Rusl knew.

Colin turned away to bring his mother in for a much needed embrace, his sister, Calie, joining them seconds later. Rusl, however, knelt down to Ren's level, simply sitting beside him as he wept for quite some time.

Ren let his face fall into his hands as he openly cried, not caring in the slightest who could hear him uncontrollably bawling. He was shaking something fierce, and Rusl moved to put calming hands on the boy's shoulders, but he still said nothing, as he honestly had nothing beneficial to say anyway.

"I'm so sorry…" Ren murmured, barely audible.

"What?" Rusl inquired softly.

The younger Ordonian dropped his hands into his lap, "My mom… I-I," he stammered, his panicked and unmanageable breathing making it difficult to get anything out, "L-Last I talked to her… I was cruel, I…" he sobbed, "I wish I could take it back… I just want to tell her I love her one last time."

Ren looked up at him then, through an utterly inconsolable amount of pain in his weary eyes.

"She knew, r-right?" he swallowed hard, "She knew… She knew I loved her, right, grandpa?"

Rusl was broken. The trembling words of his devastated grandson shattered what was left of his old heart, and he could literally feel his throat swell up. The way Ren stared up at him tore him in two. He could see the imploring agony in his eyes, the desperate desire for him to fix everything, but he just couldn't, as much as he wished he could.

"Yes, Ren…" he tried, stifling his own agonized tears, "I'm sure, without a doubt, that your mother knew that you loved her very, very much."

Ren broke down again. He let out a long, pained bellow, returning to sobbing irrepressibly into his dirty hands. Rusl wrapped his strong arms around his grandson and simply cradled him as he wept.

Time was lost on all of them. The flames burned higher and higher before they eventually began dying out. It took long into the night before the massive fire was nothing more than smoldering embers, but most of the townsfolk did not move. Ilia was loved and adored by everyone in Ordon, and that home had served as a symbol of hope for years. But, worst of all, they had to witness yet another child become an orphan on that day.

As the ashes danced about in the air and the soot clung to most everything nearby, the cackling sound of the fire became quieter. The cries lessened and the sobs softened, but the pain lingered. The initial sting would inevitably fade, but the ache would remain.

Like a scar, it was a hurt that would stick for a lifetime.

* * *

 _ **Pain is often the best teacher.**_

* * *

 _A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!_

Melissa T., Lord Zant, Lee Glerum, Eve79, Gabby-J, Debora

 _You guys are amazing!_


	3. A Spark

**A/N:** _This chapter was revised as of 8/31/2016 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed, bits and pieces added._

 _This chapter was revised as of 6/5/2017 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

 **When Heroes Fall**

 _By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 3: A Spark

 **.:.**

The sun never seemed quite as bleak as it did when it rose following Ilia's death.

The woods had never been as quiet. The water had never been as still. The air had never been as thin.

The animals seemed to notice; not a creature was out to play, for all were tucked away in various hiding spots and dark places to escape the harsh sun that simply felt out of place. The trees seemed to notice; not a branch rustled nor did a leaf fall, for all were frozen in time the moment their ancestral tree was reduced to dust and cinders. The very wind seemed to notice; there was no calming breeze to wipe away their pain, no gentle draft to blow away the soot and ash, no subtle gust to erase what had happened.

The people were lost. The people were silent. The people were _angry_.

The people were angry at deities that would allow such heartache and grief befall their people. Why would the golden goddesses permit such devastation? Children had lost mothers and fathers, wives had lost husbands, husbands had lost wives, and parents had lost children. Why should the sun be allowed to rise when one was no longer there to witness it? It didn't seem fair.

The people should have almost been used to the pain accompanied with loss, as it was an agony so often endured, but death was one thing that never got easier to cope with. Ordon Village had seen a mayor lose his wife, and his darling little girl lose her mother the same day. They had seen a hardworking farm boy grow up motherless, only to lose his father far too young. They had seen an orphaned boy stumble into their midst, only to grow older to discover he held a fate far heavier than any words could put into perspective. They had seen that same sweet, innocent boy turn into a man tormented by demons none could understand, and they saw him consumed by trauma to the point where he abandoned his loved ones without a word. They had seen the shop keeper's little girl fall head over heels in love, only to lose her husband in battle, thus leaving their little boy to grow up fatherless. They had seen an infant child come into the world without a father, only to have his mother die brutally before his eyes with so much life yet to live.

Another orphaned child. Another loved one lost. Another life taken too early.

Why was it… that the young were the ones to suffer and perish, while the old carried on?

The goddesses had a twisted web they weaved.

Ren had wept silently long into the following day. He hadn't realized when he started to lose consciousness, but Rusl had been anticipating it, and he caught the young boy's weak frame as soon as he started to topple over.

He made his way through the crowd of people still huddled together for love and support during this time of turmoil. Each either gave the older man a pat on the shoulder, a disheartened nod in his direction, or the ever forced, 'it will all be okay.' None of those things did anything for his state of being. In fact, they went mostly ignored. Not to be intentionally cruel, but because he was just so lost within himself. He had been the one in the midst of it all… He had been the one to see her mere seconds before her life was taken… If anything could have been done to save her, it would have been up to him, and, even though he knew in his right mind that he did the right thing, it was becoming more and more difficult to keep reminding himself of that.

His ears were still ringing, and the petrified look of his niece wouldn't leave his mind's eye. All he could see were her once bright, lively green eyes filled to the brim with an immeasurable fear. All he could hear whenever the constant ringing would let up was her screaming milliseconds before the initial blast…

Goddesses… It was enough to paralyze him.

He carried his grandson through the village, and much to his dismay, he encountered Bo.

The larger man's brow was furrowed, and despite his simple background, he wasn't a fool. He saw his mangled grandchild in front of a pillar of smoke, and he knew everything was far from okay, "Rusl… Where's my little girl?"

He couldn't do this right now, he just couldn't. He could barely keep his own head on straight, let alone try to help his friend find his.

Luckily, he heard his wife approaching from behind him.

"Bo…" she began through stifled tears, "Let's sit down and talk… Please?"

The mayor stared at her for only a second, and Rusl continued walking towards his home with Ren in tow, but Bo became frantic.

"Rusl!" he yelled after his old friend, "My little girl! Where's my little girl!"

The scruffier man didn't turn around – _couldn't_ turn around. He couldn't face the man he'd known his whole life and explain that he'd just witnessed his daughter's death before his eyes. He couldn't do it… He just couldn't…

When Rusl continued walking, Bo tried to chase after him, but Uli grabbed his arm.

"Bo… Please… Let's go to your house and talk in private, okay?"

He halted, not caring to fight her in the least. He was now openly bawling – he already knew what she was going to say.

None of the younger villagers had ever seen their mayor cry, and the older ones hadn't witnessed it since the loss of his wife. He was always such a big, strong man that he just never showed much emotion, but at this point in time he simply didn't care.

"No…" he sobbed, "My little girl… My little girl…"

The cries got softer as Rusl entered his house and shut the door behind him. He lay his grandson down on the sofa and found himself collapsing onto the nearest chair just the same, his face falling into his hands simultaneously. He rubbed his eyes hard, trying with all his might to scrub the images from his vision to no avail. Just as he was about to let out all of his own pent up emotions, he heard the front door to his home creak open.

He perked up at the sound in front of him, and at the fact that, for the brief moment while the door was ajar, Bo's despairing cries were audibly clear; it was just like a dagger in his heart.

It was Colin standing in the threshold, and he was quick to close the door behind him.

"Dad… are you okay?" he asked, making his way over to both his father and nephew.

"Okay as I can be, son," he replied solemnly, swiftly making himself busy so as to keep himself from breaking down.

He went to a cupboard in the kitchen, praying that they had enough spare bandaging to wrap up his grandson's injured leg. They were all far from being actual healers, but he at least knew how to patch him up in order to keep him from bleeding out.

"Let me do that, dad. You're hurt, too," Colin tried, reaching for the things in his father's hands.

Much to Colin's surprise, his dad gave in without any quarrel. Rusl handed him what little cloth they had and returned to his seat without a word. Colin knew it was highly unlike him to give up without saying a thing, and that only further worried him for his state of being.

"I watched Mister Renado do this so many times I think I could do it in my sleep," the younger man chuckled, trying so desperately to just ever so slightly lighten the horrendously low mood.

Not to his surprise in the least, it didn't work.

"Dad…" Colin began as he sat beside a very unconscious Ren and began wrapping up his leg, "None of this was even close to your fault, you know that."

He sighed heavily, "I do know that, my boy. Truly, I do. But I cannot convince my heart of it."

Colin was silent then, looking over his young nephew and seeing so much of his older brother that it made his heart physically ache.

"You know… I've seen Link lying here like this so many times you'd think this sort of thing wouldn't faze me anymore, but it always does."

Rusl glanced over at the two younger Ordonians. His son had grown up so much since the loss of his hero; he had stepped up and taken on so many responsibilities and had really come into his own. He still had times where he could be that same, timid little boy he remembered he had been growing up, but the change the older man had seen in his boy was nothing short of extraordinary. After Link was gone, Talo and Malo were quick to follow, and Colin had taken it upon himself to be the strong young man the village needed.

His grandson, on the other hand… Rusl always had a hard time with him. Not because he was a troubled youth or any other nonsense like that, but because he was so much like his father that it pained him. He reminded Rusl so much of Link that each day it tore his heart in two. Now, here he was, covered head to toe in soot and ash and his leg was mangled past recognition – the similarities were far too great to handle and Rusl wouldn't be able to take it if another boy was lost to them as Link was.

The older man was eager to change the subject, "Where's your sister?"

"She's with mom talking to Mayor Bo," he answered after a bit of a pause, slightly taken aback at the sudden topic change.

"Oh gods…" he muttered, returning his face to the palms of his hands at the thought of how that conversation was going, "I can't even imagine…"

Colin frowned, visualizing how on Farore's green earth they were breaking the news to him. How does one even cope with losing a child?

There was silence for quite some time as the blond-haired young man wrapped up Ren's battered leg. He was slow and careful, knowing that even the skilled shaman that was Renado took his time with matters such as this, and Colin was anything but a skilled shaman.

After several moments in bitter quiet, Colin spoke up, "How do you think Link will take this?"

Rusl lifted his head to look at his boy, and for a few seconds he was unable to locate a reply.

"How do I think Link will take _this_?"

Perplexed by his response, Colin looked up from his work to meet his father's stare with a tense brow.

"How will Link take any of it? For Din's sake… He doesn't even know he _has_ a child, Colin, let alone that his child almost died alongside Ilia all within his own burning home."

There was silence again. Colin didn't know what to say to that, and Rusl took a moment to calm himself back down with a heavy exhale.

"In all honesty… Link learning these things might not even be of any concern."

"Don't say that, dad," Colin stated plainly, knowing exactly where he was going.

"You know I hate it, but it's the truth, son. No one's seen or even heard from him in, what, fifteen years? Who knows what's happened to him."

Colin was then visibly angry, "When did you stop having faith in him, dad? He's the hero! But more important than that, he's _Link_! He wouldn't just go off and die!"

He glared at his father for several heartbeats, but when he had nothing to say in return, Colin hastily tied off the bandaging cloth on Ren's leg, stood up, and finished, "Us giving up on him is going to be our downfall. I know he's still alive."

And with that, he stormed out of the house, leaving Rusl alone to his thoughts with a huff.

It didn't take long for the sounds of the village to die down into a deafening silence. The townsfolk were all in their respective homes, each likely mourning in the way they found would bring them the most comfort. Bo was inconsolable, and he didn't leave his house for anything. When his wife was dying all those years ago, he had promised her that he would protect their little girl with his life… he had failed, and he didn't know if he could live with the guilt.

Ren didn't stay asleep for long, but he wished he had. His leg was utterly destroyed, but he really didn't care. He could only think about the fact that his mother's death was his fault. He had been playing around; he was careless, he was clumsy… he was stupid. His mother died because he _tripped_ while fooling around, inadvertently setting his father's home ablaze. It was so ignorant, so naïve and childish. He truthfully couldn't believe that her life was thrown away in such a careless manner. When he first awoke, he thought it had just been some terrible nightmare, laughing momentarily in his hypnopompic state that he would imagine he would do something so completely foolish. But the sharp throbbing in his leg alerted him to the fact that this was all too real – his mother was truly gone, and it was because of him.

Rusl was genuinely livid with the goddesses. He felt so powerless, and it was all too ironic that the situation was so eerily similar to when Link had first come into their lives. He had lain on this same sofa, with that same look of utter anguish on his all-too-young face, for the same exact reason – finding himself suddenly parentless. It was a sickening fate that Link's younger grief and despair he should unintentionally inflict upon his own son.

Ren fell into a depression that devastated all those closest to him. Rusl and Uli knew all too well that there was simply no consoling this kind of pain, and that time truly was the only thing that could make it any easier, but it didn't stop them from trying. All their attempts were futile, as were Calie's and Colin's. Ren always loved the little kids that were considered his cousins – Beth's son and Talo's daughters – but even the chipper voice of little Evan couldn't lighten his spirits, and Kina and Orielle were just far enough away to avoid such times of sorrow.

There came a day, however, that Colin got an idea.

There was a traveling merchant that often came to Ordon to deliver goods such as food, clothing, and other necessities. He rode in a wagon carried by a single, strong steed, but he towed two younger horses behind him, proclaiming loudly for many months that they were for sale. Colin found it odd that no one had bought them yet, but he simply took it as a sign that he was meant to do this.

He had been saving up his every rupee long before the tragic incident with Ilia, planning, originally, to purchase himself a horse with his money. Now, though, he had a much better use for it.

When that same traveling merchant returned not too much later, Colin rushed to meet him just at the outskirts of Ordon, hoping to keep it all a surprise.

"Good afternoon to you, sir!" he said with a smile as he handed the older man a small pouch containing all the funds he had saved.

The gray-haired man took it with a huff, emptied the contents into his wrinkled hands, pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and replied gruffly, "This's only 'nough to buy the younger pony."

Colin looked at the small filly that the man was referring to, then over at the slightly older colt that he had had his eyes on for himself for nearly a year now. The young male horse was a deep shade of brown, with a black mane and tail, and he whinnied happily every time he and Colin met. He smiled sadly and gave the young horse a gentle pat on the snout as he realized he would be passing him up yet again, but it was for a good cause.

"I'll take her," Colin said at last with a slightly apprehensive nod.

The elderly man handed him the reins to the young girl, and she instantly starting rearing and bucking.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Colin shouted, trying to calm her.

The man laughed, "That's why she's the cheaper one, boy! Yer gonna hav'ta train that one somethin' fierce."

Colin frowned – what a jerk.

He pulled the filly's reins in the direction of Rusl and Uli's home, but she was resisting the entire way. She neighed and whinnied unhappily the whole way there, and the unusual sounds caught the attention of many of the villagers seeing as there hadn't been a horse in Ordon since Link left.

Inside where Ren lay, Calie and Uli were awaiting those very sounds. Colin had let them in on the plan, and it was their job to get Ren outside to meet his new friend.

"Ren, did you hear that?" Calie asked enticingly.

Ren blinked a few times slowly before he fully awoke, "A horse?"

"Yeah! Let's go check it out!" his sister exclaimed, tugging on his arm.

"It's probably just someone passing through, Calie," he moaned, not wanting to get up.

"Nah, come on! You've gotta get up at some point! It might be something exciting!" she squealed, "Let's go! Let's go!"

"Ugh," he sighed, sitting up on the couch, "Fine."

"Be careful, Ren. Your leg is going to be difficult to walk on," Uli advised, offering her support on the side opposite Calie.

He stood up with a wince, "I'll be fine."

Uli giggled mostly to herself, "Just like your stubborn father."

With Calie holding tightly to his arm to help him stand, he hobbled over to the front door and stepped over the threshold. The sun was blinding and it was relatively warm outside. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw Colin standing before him frantically trying to calm a clearly disturbed horse.

Calie cleared her throat to let her brother know they were there.

Colin spun around, reins still clutched tight, attempting to appear like he wasn't in a flurry, "Ren! You're up! I, uh… I got you a surprise."

Ren's eyes narrowed as he watched his uncle urgently try to soothe the panicked young mare. Her coat was a beautiful cream color, her mane and tail were brilliant white, but her light blue eyes showed that she was terrified. Ren could see that she felt lost and afraid, and, without even thinking, he stepped toward her.

"Ren! Be careful!" Calie shouted worriedly as he freed himself of her steady grip.

He paid her no mind. He walked up beside the agitated filly as she reared back, desperate to escape Colin's clutches that she found to be absolutely frightening. Ren never took his eyes off of her as he grabbed the reins from his uncle's sweaty hands and dropped them to the ground.

"Ren! Wha-" Colin tried.

He removed her restricting bridle, subconsciously moved Colin aside, and he stood directly in front of her. She stopped rearing up and bucking, but she was still stamping and shaking her head agitatedly.

"Shh…" Ren hushed as he ran his hands through her mane and down her neck, "Shh…"

Everyone watched on in complete and utter wonderment. The horse was suddenly still and silent from his touch.

"That's it… Shh… Good girl…" he whispered through the brightest smile he had shown since the loss of his mother.

"It seems Ren carries his mother's love and understanding of horses," Rusl suddenly said as he approached them from the entrance to the village with another surprise in tow.

"Dad! Wh-What… is that…?" Colin stammered excitedly, noticing that his father was bringing up the colt that he had so dreadfully wanted for himself.

Rusl grinned from ear to ear at his boy's delight as he handed him the reins, "I saw you use the last of your rupees that you had been saving up to buy this horse for yourself to instead buy one for Ren, and it touched my heart. There was no way I was going to let that merchant leave without making sure you got the one you'd been wanting for such a selfless act, son."

Colin beamed as he took his father in for a hug, "Thanks, dad."

"Of course, my boy," he said with a clap to his shoulder before releasing, "And what about you, Ren? Are you happy with your surprise?"

He stared into his newfound friend's eyes and smiled, "Yes… Thank you so much, Uncle Colin."

"You're welcome. Your dad always had such an amazing connection with Epona – the two have always been inseparable – so, I thought you could use a friend like that, too," Colin replied sincerely with a smile of his own, genuinely beyond happy just to see that he could bring Ren some form of comfort.

"What will you name her?" Calie inquired.

Ren focused on her sky blue irises one more time, but the question really didn't require much thought.

"Mila…" he said as he rubbed his sweet horse's gentle face, "My mom told me stories of a foal she had when she was just a little girl named Mila. She was a tiny, sickly thing and she didn't last long, but… I want to make her name mean something."

Everyone was listening intently, the emotional ones tearing up while the older ones remembered the story he spoke of fondly, yet grimly.

"Your mom loved that horse," Bo suddenly made his presence known, everyone turning upon hearing his voice.

He was visibly upset and had clearly not stopped crying for many days, but he smiled through the obvious distress on his worn-down features at his grandson, "She would'a been so happy to see this."

Ren hung his head then, because if he had kept it up everyone would have noticed him break down, and he didn't want to bring further attention to himself. He picked up Mila's bridle and reins from the ground, held them firmly in his right hand as his left leaned up against his new friend for support, and he turned away from everyone.

"Ren, where are you going?" Calie asked worriedly.

"I just need to be alone," he muttered, limping up the hill toward the ranch with Mila beside him keeping him from losing his balance.

The others watched on in sadness, knowing that it would take a long time for him to feel like himself again. At least now he had someone he would feel comfortable talking to and confiding in. They each could remember vividly how much Link's connection with Epona had saved his aching soul time and time again – they had high hopes for Ren finding the same solace in his new companion.

Ren dropped what he was holding just at the entrance to the open field, at the base of one of the tall pillars that began the wide, circular fence. The cream colored filly followed him to the middle of the little hill where he finally allowed himself to sit. He plopped down with an exasperated huff – walking had become a literal chore. He couldn't put much, if any, pressure on his left leg without a shooting pain racing up its entirety. He sighed as he glanced down at his bandaged calf; was he never going to regain full strength in his leg again? It wouldn't surprise him, to be honest – there had been almost nothing of it left after the explosion save for bone.

He hung his head yet again as he found himself just wanting to keep crying.

When he so much as let out a sniffle, Mila neighed and nuzzled her warm snout into her new master's chest.

He laughed as she caused him to topple over, "Okay, okay, I'll try not to be sad. Okay?"

She threw her head back and whinnied, seemingly agreeing with that last statement.

He smiled as he let himself fall back to lay down, and she followed suit, sitting on her legs beside him. He rubbed her neck affectionately; he already felt like she had saved him and he'd only known her, what, half an hour? How could he ever thank Colin for this…

In a strange way, she helped him to feel closer to both his mother and his father respectively. Ilia's love of horses was never a secret. Everyone knew from when she was just a child that she had a deeper connection with the gentle giants, and she had always been able to reach the troubled ones and calm them down, as well as bring out the playful spirits in the more reserved. And Link… well… He didn't know personally, but everyone had such grand stories of the hero and his mount, a beautiful chestnut mare that even those that cared not for the equine would find majestic. The pair were legendary, and Ren's grandparents had told him before just how much his father's connection with his horse had saved him. To be honest, Ren had never truthfully understood that until now.

Ren remained on that little hill for quite some time. He had begun trying to train her, along with himself, but the walking around that any such task required was beyond agonizing. He was starting to lose hope that he would ever be able to walk normally again. That was when he got an idea.

He began spending each and every day teaching both himself and Mila how to ride. She was unsteady, near impossible to control, and he had never even ridden a horse to begin with, but he was determined to learn one way or another. She had unintentionally and fearfully bucked him off of her on several occasions, but her exasperated whinnies always told him that she was sorry, and they would go for it again.

If he was going to have a hard time walking for the rest of his life, at least he would have Mila to be his guide.

He practiced through the scorching sun, the unforgiving rain, and the coldest of nights. Many had come to lure him back home, but he always refused. They brought him easy to eat foods like bread and apples, but that was all he cared to take. He had set his mind to this, and there was no swaying him – he would learn to ride, and he and Mila would become a force to be reckoned with, just like his father and Epona had been.

There were days that seemed bleak, days when his friend was having difficulties cooperating, and days when the discomfort in his leg crippled him. It was clear that she had always been a troubled steed – as was the reasoning for her cheaper price tag – but he didn't care. He loved her when she became overly frazzled and reared up only to send him toppling down from the saddle with a painful thud, just as much as when they would make a pleasant dozen laps around the field with no incidents. She was intelligent and sensitive, just a tad anxious and a bit timid. She could tell when he was hurting, and she was quick to elicit an uplifting neigh and nuzzle him as he lay on the ground until he was forced to roll over with an audibly joyous laugh. She made him feel better, as silly as it may have sounded to some people with her only being a horse, but it didn't matter to him in the least.

He looked at it as they had both, in a way, rescued one another. It was obvious that she had pulled him out of a deep depression, giving him a new resolve and a new purpose, and he imagined that she felt the same. He didn't know what was in her past, but he assumed it wasn't all too enjoyable judging by how skittish and easy to frighten she'd been since the beginning. He was slowly but surely awakening a courage and a comfort within her as the days rolled by, and he couldn't be happier with their meeting.

Thank the goddesses for Uncle Colin.

When the day finally came that the two could ride with little to no complications, Ren lay down in the grass beside his friend, simply staring up at the clouds rolling by as he ran his fingers through her mane.

"I wonder what my dad's doing right this minute," he wondered aloud as he usually did with Mila, "Do you think he's fighting some big monster? Saving a kingdom? Rescuing a princess?"

She whinnied.

"Hmm…" he mumbled, gazing longingly at the puffy white shapes in the sky.

He could've sworn to Farore that he saw the form of a horse and a rider on the bright blue canvas that the goddesses had created.

"Do you think… Do you think he's maybe looking up at the same clouds?"

When Mila was silent, he was bitterly reminded that she couldn't speak in return, as much as he often wished she could.

He sighed, "I wish I could find him."

In that instant, it was as if a light had flicked on spontaneously in his mind. His eyes suddenly went wide as he sprang up into a seated position.

"I wish I could find him…" he repeated, as if to remind himself, "Mila, do you think we could find him?"

She stood up tall, stamped her feet and shook her head gleefully.

"We could find him!" he jumped to his feet excitedly, keeping his left off the ground just slightly to avoid the inevitable discomfort it would bring.

Just as quickly as the eagerness had set in, hopelessness took its place. As he thought on it, he began to realize how fruitless it would be.

He sighed, "I wouldn't even know where to look. How in Hyrule would I be able to find him?"

Mila stamped and whinnied again, nuzzling her snout aggressively into her master's chest and almost knocking him over.

"Hey, whoa there," he chuckled, "What is it? You really think we could find him?"

She repeated herself, and he smiled brightly.

"You really think so, huh? Well… who would I be to argue with a girl?"

He pat her neck and couldn't help but laugh when she neighed cheerfully again.

He hoisted himself up into the saddle and leaned down to whisper, "What do you say? Should we go searching?"

"What, without company?"

The sudden voice caught Ren's attention in a flash, and he looked up to see Colin standing near the barn.

"I didn't know you were there, Uncle Colin…" Ren murmured.

The blond young man chuckled, "What you mean is, you didn't want me to hear your plan?"

Ren scratched the back of his head hesitantly, "Maybe?"

"Listen," Colin said with a mischievous grin as he closed the gap between them, "I've been wanting to head off and find Link myself for years. Besides the companionship, it was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to get myself a horse. It seems so many people have lost faith in him after all this time…" he hung his head dejectedly, "But I believe he's still out there."

"I do, too," Ren chimed in.

"Well, then, what do you say?" Colin asked, arms raised in question, "How about a partner on your trip to find our long lost hero?"

Ren smiled then, and he hadn't even realized it. Truthfully, he had felt so alone for so long that the company was beyond welcome, especially from Colin. He had always looked up to his uncle, and his stories of Link were some of his favorites.

He nodded, seeming a bit unsure but enthusiastic all the same, and Colin smiled in return.

"Good, because I don't think I would've taken no for an answer anyway," he chuckled, "I decided long ago that I needed to be one of the first ones to see him again – I plan to give him a right scolding for the way he left all those years ago."

Ren laughed just the same, but it was more so because he felt more excited to do this than he had ever felt for something his entire life. He had never had something so exhilarating to look forward to before. Finally meeting his father? Goddesses… He couldn't describe it.

"My mother never would've let me leave like this, you know," he added a bit morosely.

Colin hung his head, looking for a suitable response, "Yeah, well… When we do find him, I think she'll be proud. Don't you?"

He smiled a sad smile as he nodded, "Yeah… I do."

After a few moments of silence, Colin brightened the subject, "Well, what are we waiting for? I know you've wanted to do this for, geez, what? How old are you now? Twelve years?" he teased, knowing his real age but just wanting to poke a little fun.

"Fifteen, you old grandpa."

"Ooh, _ouch_ ," he recoiled in mock offense, holding a hand to his fake aching heart, "That hurts, nephew. That hurts."

"Oh, shut up," he laughed whole-heartedly as they turned and made their way down the hill and back into the village.

Rusl, Uli, and Calie were overjoyed to see Ren in good spirits as he approached them on horseback with a beaming smile.

"What's got you all giddy, little brother?" Calie questioned as they made their way over to them.

Ren glanced over at Colin, unsure of how they were going to tell everyone of their plans. Colin noticed his apprehension and took the initiative.

"We're going to go search for Link."

"What?"

"Are you serious?"

"Son…"

Colin lifted his hands to silence everyone, "We're doing it, so please don't try to persuade us otherwise. I need this just as much as Ren does. Losing Link was just about the most devastating thing of my childhood – and I survived the twilight," he said with a nervous chuckle, "We need to find him not only for our sakes, but for his, too."

Most of the other villagers had been outside and heard the commotion as well, all of whom had since circled the group outside Rusl's and Uli's home.

"Colin… We haven't heard from him in years, how can you be so sure he's still able to be found?" Rusl asked seriously, not wanting to crush his son's and grandson's spirits but also wanting them to be realistic.

"I know he's out there, grandpa," Ren spoke up, "Don't ask how… I just do. I know we can find him."

Seeing the determination in his young eyes – the same eyes that had been drowning in grief and heartache only days earlier – gave the older man a hope that he hadn't felt in years. His bright sapphire irises that were so inescapably identical to his father's finally shone with an optimism, a hopefulness, a positivity, that he hadn't seen in him since he was just a small boy.

He couldn't argue with them… He couldn't take away this light that his grandson had at last found within himself after so long lost in darkness.

Rusl sighed, knowing he had to give in, "Colin, I assume you know what this entails? It could very well be dangerous."

Colin gulped, never having been one for battles and wars, but he dismissed it, "Hyrule is in a time of peace – there will be very few monsters, but we can handle the ones that are left."

"Ren is young still, my son… His life is in your hands. You know this," Rusl reiterated, stressing the weight that would be on his boy's shoulders.

"Well, dad, he's actually only two years younger than Link was when he left," Colin pointed out with a cheeky grin.

Rusl gave a nervous chuckle, the kind you'd hear when its intent was to mask a discomfort, "Perhaps that's what upsets me."

"If you really plan to leave… visiting Renado in Kakariko Village would be a wise place to start," Uli added in a bit despondently.

Colin nodded, "That's where we'll head first, and then likely to Castle Town after that."

"Say hi to my stubborn brothers for me, would you?" Beth interjected, referring to the two boys that weren't technically her siblings but she had grown up with them and considered them as such for her whole life.

"Yes," Pergie, Malo and Talo's mother, added, "Let my boys know that we miss them, and that we want to see our grandchildren!"

"Yeah! I wanna see Kina again!" Evan shouted, "And I've never even met Ori… Ori…"

"Orielle," Beth offered.

"Yeah!"

Colin smiled, "I'll let them all know."

When he heard his mother sniffle, he turned to her to see her crying just ever so silently.

"Mom, we won't be gone long, really," he said as he pulled her in for a hug.

"I know, Colin, I do," she whimpered, "I've just had to say goodbye to my boys so many times… It never gets any easier."

"We'll be careful, and we'll be back soon, I promise," he replied with a smile as he released her.

Calie was quick to jump in, grabbing her mother in for a hug first, "You've still got me, mom!"

Uli laughed, "That I do, my girl. Thank you."

Calie then turned to her big brother and held him tight before quickly letting go and shoving a pointed finger in his face, "You're gonna be extra careful! You hear me? And you're gonna take extra good care of little brother! Got it?"

"Yes, yes, of course, darling sister," he kidded, shrugging her off.

The blonde-haired young girl then approached Ren as he was dismounting his mare, "You're really gonna go find your dad, huh?"

He nodded, "That's the plan."

She sighed, "Please be careful, okay? I don't think anyone here can take anymore heartache."

"I know… And I will."

She smiled through watery eyes as she pulled him in for a tight embrace.

"Your mom's proud of you up there, little brother," she whispered before they released.

He nodded a bit somberly, but that was all that was needed.

After then giving his grandmother and grandfather a parting hug as well, he turned and did the same with Beth before ruffling Evan's dark brown hair all the while Colin was saying his goodbyes just the same. Ren then returned to Mila and hoisted himself back up into the saddle just as Colin was announcing that he had named his young mount Ilari after his father's fearless stallion that he'd lost just after the war of the twilight era. That horse had served Rusl well for several long years, and the day he passed was a painful one, to say the least. The older Ordonian was touched that his son thought to name his new companion after his late faithful steed. After the emotional exchange, Colin hopped onto Ilari's back and they were then prepared to leave.

They traveled to the borders of the village as a group, saying their final farewells and giving their last bits of advice and warnings as they went. Ren was sad that his Grandpa Bo was nowhere to be found, but he could understand that he was just still hurting – after all, underneath his excitable exterior, his heart still felt unwhole just the same.

When they finally reached the edge of the woods that marked the beginning of the Faron province, it was time to part at last.

Everyone waved their apprehensive - but also hopeful - goodbyes, and Colin and Ren reassured them that they wouldn't be gone long.

Before they could turn to leave, Rusl had one final thing to say.

"Boys… Bring our hero home."

Ren smiled, and they would.

If their lives depended on it… They would.

* * *

 _ **Even a raging wildfire starts as nothing more than a glint.**_

* * *

 **A/N:** Here's a fun little fact for you today: the names of all of the OCs in this story (with the exception of Calie) are names from elsewhere in the Legend of Zelda universe. I tried to choose names that were a little more obscure - names of characters that have much smaller roles in the games as opposed to leading characters - in order to avoid clouding your imaginations with images of whoever that character was, but still wanting to include them for their LoZ feel and the fun of possibly recognizing the names from elsewhere. Have you recognized any of the names yet? If so, let me know! Oh, and yes, the horses' names count, too ;)

* * *

 _A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!_

Melissa T., Lord Zant, Lee Glerum, Eve79, Gabby-J, Debora, Daniel Kirkerud

 _You guys are amazing!_


	4. Unsteady

**A/N:** _This chapter was revised as of 6/5/2017 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

 **When Heroes Fall**

 _By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 4: Unsteady

 **.:.**

"You've never been out this far, have you?"

Colin's voice snapped the younger Ordonian from his stupor, and all he could muster was a simple shake of his head in reply.

It was true; he had never been this far from his home village, and the open expanse that was Hyrule Field was a sight to behold. The grass was the most vibrant green he had ever seen, the sun seemed to shine brighter as it didn't have a rooftop of trees to filter it, and it was just so utterly _vast_. The various pools of water sparkled in the sunlight, the cobblestones of the bridge above it shone in those very same rays, and there was a gentle breeze that just ever so slightly rustled his hair and cooled his skin – had he truly been missing this all his life?

Colin chuckled as he spurred his mount forward again after giving Ren a few moments to compose himself, "I take it this isn't exactly what you had expected?"

Ren had to actually remind himself to close his slack jaw as he, too, gave his mare a little nudge to get her moving, "Not at all," he shook his head, still a bit wide-eyed, "It's just so huge! Like… I can't even see the end of it!"

Colin smiled, but said nothing. Even though he had been young, he could vividly remember his first impression of the seemingly-infinite field that lay before the feet of the distantly looming castle and its surrounding town.

"Wait until you see Castle Town."

Ren's mouth hung open involuntarily yet again as he emitted an excited gasp, "I can't wait!"

The young uncle laughed, reminiscing on a time when he had that same kind of enthusiasm, "Well, we've gotta go to Kakariko first."

Ren was silent for a moment, their horses having picked up speed a tad but still allowing the riders to talk. Something crossed his mind that troubled him.

"Do you think everyone is going to hate me for what happened to my mom?"

Colin looked over at him, and his breath seemed to catch in his throat at the seriousness and unbridled concern in his nephew's tone, "No, Ren, of course they aren't going to hate you."

Ren pursed his lips, "What makes you so sure? I… I hate myself for it… So why wouldn't they? It _was_ my fault."

Colin suddenly pulled hard on the reins, bringing his stallion to a halt and Ren followed suit. He stared his traveling companion down and said sincerely, "I don't know the details and I don't need to – it was _not_ your fault. Everyone knows you loved your mother, Ren; everyone knows you're a good kid. These are good, understanding people… they would never hate you, _could_ never hate you."

"Then…" Ren began, glancing down at his twiddling thumbs, "Why is it no one ever comes to visit? I always kind of thought it was because they didn't like me because of what happened with my dad leaving all those years ago."

Colin frowned, feeling genuinely disheartened that his nephew felt this way, "That's not the case at all. It's just…" he paused, the fact of the infrequent visits having truthfully bothered him in the past as well, just not for the same reason. Colin understood that they didn't come to Ordon often simply because they were busy – Talo with his family and Malo with his business. What upset the former resistance member's son was the fact that he had no such thing to keep him busy. He had his mother, father, and sister, but he didn't have a family of his own; no significant other or love interest, and he certainly wasn't a savvy salesman like his youngest brother was. The blond-haired young man just longed for some kind of purpose, anything at all (although the prospect of a beautiful girl to come home to at the end of the day particularly tickled his fancy).

"Everyone's just busy, that's all," he blurted at last.

Ren furrowed his brow, "Why do you look sad all of a sudden, Uncle Colin?"

He shook his head and put on a fake grin, "I'm good. Let's just hurry and get to the village before the sun starts to set."

Ren knew he wasn't ' _good_ ,' but he had seen his beloved uncle get that look on his face far too many times growing up, and he knew that there was no getting it out of him.

The remainder of their trek to the dusty village was a quiet one. Colin kept his eyes trained ahead while Ren took in every visible detail around him. He loved the feeling of riding horseback with the wind in his hair, he only wished he could tell his mother about it at the end of the day…

They arrived in Kakariko Village just as the sun was beginning to paint a beautiful array of colors across the distant sky. Pinks and oranges danced along the horizon, and Ren found himself awestruck once again. The image of the bright colors behind the sprawling mountaintop was a sight he previously thought was only a thing of make-believe. The village was picturesque, nestled at the foot of the volcano like roots to an enormous tree.

It was quaint with few buildings lining a single straight path down the center, but there were, surprisingly, quite a few people out and about.

"I thought you said Kakariko was like a ghost town?" Ren asked, looking to his uncle as they passed by the spirit's spring and slowed their steeds to a walk.

"I'm just as shocked as you," Colin replied sincerely, gazing all around the town he had spent the darkest part of his childhood in.

Honestly, the once-timid lad had been avoiding the western village like the plague. It reminded him of a painful past that he would rather just forget about. Well, all except for the relationships he had formed during that time. Everything else that happened was a blur of worry and doubt. Constant worry for his biggest brother's wellbeing, doubt in ever seeing his parents again, and overall just an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. Even at the tender age he had been all those years ago, they were memories that stayed with him nearly as clear as those most recent.

So, needless to say, Colin was likely much more stunned than Ren was to see the town bustling with both residents and visitors alike.

They strode up to the largest building and the one Colin had spent so much time in as a child. They dismounted their horses and tied them up to the fence just at the base of the stairs. An elderly couple passed by, admiring the boys' horses, and to that Ren smiled.

The older Ordonian stared up at the once-dilapidated structure, noticing how drastically it had changed as well. It was cleaned up from top to bottom; no loose boards or broken windows, no exposed pipes or missing bricks, and no tarps covering up holes or other indecencies. It looked… nice.

"You okay?" Ren asked, grabbing his uncle's attention.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat, snapping out of it, "It just looks so different since I last saw it."

"When was that?"

"When I was nine," he muttered, and he didn't allow time for a response as he made his way up the short steps and turned the handle.

The most delicious aroma reached the pair's noses that would've instantly made anyone hungry. A small family of three was exiting just as they were entering, bright grins across their faces as they passed by. A warm breeze enveloped the two new visitors as the door opened and then closed behind them, and a chipper little voice that Colin hadn't heard in far too long at last reached his round ears.

"Welcome to the Elde Inn! How may I he-…" she halted and her eyes went wide as they came closer to the front counter that the girl stood behind, "Colin?"

He smiled, "Hi, Luda. How've you been?"

She practically sprinted around the counter before grabbing him in for a tight hug, "How lovely it is to see you after all this time!"

They pulled apart and Colin glanced down at her with a happy chuckle, "I see you and Talo have been busy."

She giggled as she placed a hand on her rather large belly, but before she could get another word out there was suddenly an obnoxiously loud voice from the other room.

"That's not my little brother is it?" the voice called noisily before its owner finally rounded the corner with one little girl following close at his heels.

"HAH!" he finally boomed with the brightest, cheekiest grin Colin had seen in years displayed happily across his still-youthful face, "It _is_ you, you damn rascal!"

Talo pulled him in hard and clapped him on the back even harder before releasing a few moments later, "If it isn't my favorite brother!"

Colin laughed, "As if Malo was ever any competition."

"Well, wait, does Link count? 'Cause if so, I like him better."

"I guess that's fair," Colin said with another chuckle.

"Speaking of Link…" Talo began as he turned toward Ren, "If you're not his kid then I'm not the toughest guy in this village."

"Pff," Colin laughed out loud.

"Oh gosh, daddy, not even close!" the littlest girl in the room chimed in, "I can beat you up!"

"What!" Talo shouted in mock offense, "No way!"

"Yep!"

"Prove it! Put 'em up!" he yelled, holding up his fists and she was quick to copy.

"Talo, I thought we said we wouldn't let the girls think violence is fun," Luda chastised.

"We're not," he called back to his wife in between fake swipes and dodges, "We're just teaching her how to be brave and tough just like her dad!"

"Pretending to fight and letting her win isn't teaching her to be brave, daddy," the older little girl spoke up, Ren and Colin having not even noticed her until then as she had been sitting quietly behind the counter, "It's teaching her that all her fights will be easy because she'll expect everyone to let her win all the time."

Talo huffed and turned toward his only-slightly-older daughter, "When did you get so dang smart for your age, Ki - OW! HEY!" he shouted abruptly when his youngest girl kicked him firmly in the shin.

When he turned back toward her to see her cute little face lit up in joyous victory, he played it up for her sake.

He fell to the floor and wailed in mock failure, "No! How could I lose? Noooo…"

She covered her mouth with her tiny hands and giggled gleefully, "Told you I'm tougher, daddy!"

Ren simply watched on in wonderment. He was silent because he had no words, and he truthfully felt somewhat out of place. He had only briefly met Talo, Luda, and their oldest daughter, Kina, when he was very young and Kina was only a baby at the time. It was so long ago that he couldn't remember much, but he did recall greatly enjoying their company. Now he just felt… a bit strange. He supposed it was simply because the three adults had been very close as children and that they desperately needed to catch up, but he just couldn't help but feel like he didn't know them well enough to fit in, even though they were family. Or, perhaps, it could have all merely been chalked up to the fact that he was still in a bit of an emotional shock.

Nevertheless, he was glad to get to actually meet everyone at long last. He had been so young before that - even though they were able to remember him clearly - his was a very distant memory. Colin, however, could notice every little nuance that had changed, not only about the people but about the surroundings. The entirety of the inn was upgraded and polished. They had patrons in the kitchen and guests in the rooms upstairs. The walls were spruced up and the floorboards were almost sparkling. Everything looked so drastically different – better, but different. Despite the upgrades and changes, the inn was still very rustic and homey feeling, and for that Colin was happy.

Talo was still quite fit, but he had put on a bit of weight around his midsection as the years had gone on. He had that same wild, scruffy brown hair messily atop his head and he was wearing an apron over the top of his ivory shirt and blue trousers; Colin suspected that meant that he had been partly to blame for that outrageously delicious smell lingering in the air.

Luda was as beautiful as ever, now glowing as she was with their third child. She wore a loose, tan colored dress over her petite-yet-ever-growing form along with boots that were quite similar to those she wore as a little girl, and her once-short black hair she'd since let grow out quite long. It reached the middle of her back in length and she kept it tied nicely in a single side braid.

Their oldest girl, Kina, had been sitting quietly beside her mother behind the counter with her nose buried deep within a thick book. Colin could recall the day he learned of the birth of his brother's first child and he knew that she was now the mere age of six, but she was incredibly mature for her years. She was mostly reserved and always very polite, but she had no problem speaking her opinion when she felt the need. She wore a plum colored blouse with a chocolate, ruffled vest, much akin to the one her mother wore as a child, along with a tan skirt and matching sandals. She had pin-straight, chestnut brown hair that reached her shoulders and warm, caramel colored eyes.

Orielle was their youngest, and, boy, was she spunky. Colin could tell in these simple few minutes that he had met his niece that she took after her father in almost every possible way. She was two years younger than her sister at the innocent age of four, and she was just as rambunctious as he remembered Talo being when they were kids. She donned a flowy, ruby colored sundress that reached her knees and she was most often found running around barefoot. She had very short, black hair that was tied up into two side pigtails with brilliant emerald eyes that matched her father's. It was clear that she and Talo had enough energy between the two of them to light up all of Castle Town.

There was one individual, though, that Colin was eager to see who hadn't made his presence known yet.

"Where's Mister Renado?" the blond young man questioned.

"The old man's in the kitchen. You know old people – they couldn't hear a cucco squawking right beside them. I'll just have to go get him," Talo answered sarcastically.

"You're a jerk," Luda laughed.

Her husband clicked his tongue, "You're right, how rude of me! I should send one of his perfect little granddaughters in to get him."

"Ooh! Me! Me! Pick me!" Orielle squealed, jumping up and down with her short arms flailing in the air, "I'll go get Grampy!"

"Good girl, go on then," her father said, motioning toward the kitchen door.

She flew out of the room like a bird from a tree, and Talo couldn't help but chuckle, "Kids. Man, being a parent's great, you should try it, Colin; I'd like to have more nieces and nephews, you know."

"Can't really do that alone," Colin joked.

Talo laughed, changing the subject, "Speaking of nieces and nephews, how's my favorite sister and little Evan?"

Colin glanced around a bit before finding an answer, "She's hanging on, I guess. They've had it rough since her husband died."

Talo frowned, "Yeah… that _is_ rough. Poor kid, right? Growing up without a dad like that… I can't imagine."

When Ren felt awkward enough to stare down at his feet and seemed unable to look elsewhere for fear of embarrassment at what was just said and how eerily it related to his own situation, Colin cleared his throat at his barely-older and much-more-clueless brother.

"O-Oh," Talo coughed, "Uh, sorry, Ren, I wasn't really thinking when I said that."

Ren shook his head, "It's okay, Uncle Talo… don't worry about it."

Talo glanced over at his wife and then back at him, quick to change the subject with a cheesy grin, "Well, what about my _actual_ favorite sister, huh? How's Ilia?"

And it was at that moment that you could've heard a pin drop.

The painful moments of bitter silence seemed never ending, when in reality they barely added up to a few seconds in total. The awkwardness in the room only intensified with the loud opening of the swinging door to the kitchen.

"Here's Grampy, daddy!" Orielle chirped happily, dragging her grandfather by the hand into the main hall with the others.

They all turned to look at the old shaman and his granddaughter, a smile gracing both of their gleeful faces.

"Thank you, Ori," Talo said to his daughter before silently motioning for her to calm down a bit.

Renado collected himself momentarily before catching sight of the visitors. Colin was happy to see that his old mentor barely looked any different. He still dressed the same, spoke the same, and carried himself the same, maybe if only a tad more slowly and the tiniest bit more wobbly. His once dark hair was starting to gray, but if Renado was to ask him, Colin would tell him it was hardly noticeable.

"Ah, my dear Colin," Renado said with a warm grin as he grabbed the young man in for a hug, "You're no longer that timid little boy from my memories," he pulled back to see Colin beaming, and the old man couldn't contain his laughter as he noticed that there was hardly a height gap between them anymore.

"It's so good to see you, Mister Renado. I've missed you terribly."

"And I, you, my boy, I assure you," he smiled again, just before turning to Ren who stood a ways away beside the door.

"My, my," the wise shaman started in a such a deep, soothing tone that could melt away almost all the worries in the world, "You have really grown since we last met."

Ren simply nodded and gave a forced smile.

"You look so much like your father," he said as he stepped closer to the boy, "But I can see your mother's fire and tenacity behind those eyes."

When Ren's smile once again dissipated, the aged healer could read him like a book.

His thick brow furrowed as he knelt down in front of his downtrodden namesake. Ren avoided the several pairs of glaring eyes that felt like they were penetrating his very flesh from all angles around the room like the plague, especially those of the shaman right in front of him. He felt vulnerable and embarrassed, and he knew that the wise man could see it plain as day, he just hoped he couldn't see _why_ he felt that way.

"What happened to Ilia, my boy?" Renado asked.

Ren could avoid his gaze no longer; he was shocked that he knew his reaction had to do with his mother, and he was even more shocked at how calm Renado made him feel about it. His tone wasn't condescending or accusatory, his facial expression wasn't demanding or criticizing, his whole demeanor was simply… calm and curious.

Ren felt in that instant more willing to open up than he had in what felt like such a long time.

"She… died."

Luda covered her mouth with her hands, but was unable to muffle the audible gasp that involuntarily escaped. Her two young daughters looked to their mother both with worry and longing for an explanation as they didn't quite understand what was happening.

"Why don't we go see how dinner is coming along, girls," Luda hastily said as she rushed the two moaning children out of the room.

"Dead?" Talo reiterated after watching to ensure his little ones were out of earshot.

Colin looked away, folding his arms over his chest and leaning against a nearby wooden table.

Ren was quiet, glancing between the three older men in the room, half expecting to be judged for what he was about to say and half completely unsure of what to expect.

Renado placed his firm hands on the boy's shoulders, giving him that little extra confidence to open up.

The son of the hero opened his mouth to speak, ready to let it all out and come clean with the full story on what exactly happened in that house; that he was the cause of the fire, the explosion, everything… but he choked.

"I was in my dad's house when it caught fire. My mom and Grandpa Rusl came in to save me but she didn't make it out in time."

The inn was eerily silent as Ren looked nervously between each of the men in the room. Colin still looked away, but Talo and Renado were staring back at him just the same.

Renado knew that there was more to the story that was being left out, but he wouldn't dare pry when it was so visibly disturbing the young boy, and even if he had wanted to, Talo's voice would've halted him.

"Oh, man…" the young father sighed, running his fingers through his shaggy hair, "So Link's treehouse is gone, too?"

Ren just nodded.

"Gods, that's…" he huffed, "Gods, I just can't believe it. Poor Ilia. Poor Link. Oh, man," he continued to ramble, "What's Link gonna say? How did the mayor take it? Oh gods… poor Bo. What about Beth and little Evan? Are they okay? Calie and Aunt Uli? Is everyone else okay? Wait… Uncle Rusl? What about him? You said he was in the fire, too, is he okay? Oh, man… Link's house was such a landmark, you know? Gods… I just hope everyone's okay."

Ren was obviously completely overwhelmed at Talo's jumbled response and his incessant slew of questions, so Colin replied.

"Bo's not doing well at all. Beth, Evan, and everyone else are fine. My dad's fine. Link's house, yeah, it's gone, along with everything in it, but homes can be rebuilt, people can't be."

"Y-Yeah, of course, of course," Talo nodded, ruffling through his hair again as a sort of nervous twitch, "Just completely blows my mind all around; I just can't believe it. We all loved your mom, Ren, she was a big sister to all of us. I know you're sad," the brunet man was trying so hard to be consoling as he scratched the back of his head, but it was never his strong suit, "But… if it makes you feel better I know she's gotta be having a good time with the goddesses, you know?" he forced a weak attempt at a smile, "I'm sure they gave her a nice place, some horses, fields and grass and all that, and I'm sure she's, well… _happy_."

Even though it wasn't the most eloquent way to put it or the most polished way with words, the point was clear, and even though it didn't come close to erasing the pain, it warmed up the atmosphere of the room just ever so slightly, and for that Ren was grateful.

He gave a miniscule, crooked smile right then that gave everyone the most vivid flashbacks of their hero before saying, "Thanks, Uncle Talo."

"Pff," he scoffed, flinging his hand in the air as if to physically push the words away, "Nah, I-I don't deserve none of that, really, kid, just speakin' my mind. We all loved your mom here, so, uh…" he started to tear up then, but he hid it well, "Just wanted to make sure you knew that but I need to get back to the kitchen now. Hope everyone's hungry!"

And with that he exited the room in a flash.

Renado got to his feet with a sigh, "Poor boy has never really learned how to cope with his emotions."

Colin chuckled, "I can see that. At least it doesn't seem like anyone here has changed too much."

"Ah, yes…" Renado released another long exhale as he stood up tall and a sharp pain raced down his back which put the faintest grimace on his aged face.

"You okay, Mister Renado?" Colin questioned.

"Oh, yes, yes, of course, dear boy," he smiled warmly, "I am just growing older and as such, my body ages with me. But we aren't here to talk about these old bones, I need to know now that it's just us – how are you two truly holding up?"

Ren looked away almost instantly. He didn't want to come off as rude or standoffish, but he was just honestly so tired of talking about this, about himself, about anything other than what he decided to leave home to do. He didn't want to talk about what happened with his mother anymore, it only made him hate himself. He didn't want to talk about himself or his feelings with anyone anymore, it only made him sound pathetic and self-pitying – at least, that's what he thought.

Colin, however, adored the shaman and was quick to reply with full honesty, "I just feel really confused and lost."

"How so, my son?" the older man asked, turning toward him fully and giving him his undivided attention.

"I'm heartbroken over what happened to Ilia. She was my big sister, and she took care of me during some of the scariest, most downright awful moments in my childhood. Like Link, I looked up to her, just in different ways. I just can't believe she's gone… I feel like I should be better at handling these things by now, but I'm just not."

Renado nodded once slowly as he allowed himself to slip down into a nearby chair, "Yes… Loss is a fickle creature. A person with vast knowledge might say that loss is something that one can train themselves to cope with, that, perhaps, one can even accustom themselves to not feel hurt from it at all if it is something that is felt often. Such as swallowing foul medicine, or pricking your finger – these are things that, while unpleasant at first, become easier as they are experienced again and again."

Colin furrowed his brow, listening intently and hanging on the wise man's every word.

"While a person with vast knowledge might equate these things to that of loss, that person may not always be one who has experienced deep, genuine feelings of love. Literature, science, wisdom – they may sound elegant on paper, but in practice they never quite equal one another. Do you understand?"

Colin glanced down at his sandals only briefly before returning to the warm irises of his mentor-figure, "I think… I think you mean that even though I feel maybe somewhat weak for letting these things affect me so deeply when they've happened to us so frequently, I shouldn't. Just because it seems like it should get easier on the outside looking in, it doesn't mean that it actually does in reality. That even though we've been through so much horrible stuff in our lives… you'd think it would get more bearable, but it just doesn't. Someone that hasn't experienced the pain of loss might say to toughen up, but until you've lived it you just really have no idea what it's like."

Renado smiled a sad smile and gave the smart lad a nod.

Colin sighed, "I get that, Mister Renado, I really do. But I'll be honest and say I don't think it really makes me feel any better."

"Tell me," the shaman began, "What would make you feel better?"

Colin raised his eyebrows high in curiosity, "What would make me feel better?" he parroted, "Gee, I… I don't actually know. I never really thought about it in such a simple way."

"Well, what would make you feel better?" he asked again.

"I guess-"

"I just want to find my dad," Ren cut in.

Renado and Colin turned to him. He was slowly making his way over to the stairwell, hobbling a bit with one hand on the wall behind him for support. He moved at a snail's pace, hoping that his speed would hide his unsteadiness as he spoke.

"The only thing that would make me feel better at this point would be finding my dad. I need to see him… _meet_ him. I just need to know him."

"That's why the two of you left home," Renado stated, piecing it together at last and glancing between each of them.

Colin nodded, "Yeah."

Ren's muffled groans and struggling grunts that he was trying so hard to mask had not gone unnoticed by any means. Renado stood up and went over to the young man who was slowly lowering himself onto the bottom row of stairs.

"Am I going to have to constantly worry over your wellbeing just like I did with your father?" he smirked.

Ren grimaced, but chuckled through it – even though being compared to his father should've been annoying to him with how much everyone did so, it wasn't that in the least; he loved it.

"I'm okay, my leg's just super messed up and I can't stand on it for too long. I just needed to sit down to relieve some of the pressure."

"Ah, yes, exactly like your father already," he laughed wholeheartedly, glancing over his shoulder at Colin who wore the faintest smile as well, "Making light of what should probably be anything but."

There was silence in the room as Renado looked at Ren's left leg. He pulled back the bandaging a bit so that he could see the extent of the damage, which proved to be far worse than he anticipated. The entirety of his calf was covered in deformed burn scars, well, all of it except the skin and flesh that was literally _reforming_ itself over the portion that was blown off. The shaman could barely believe his eyes.

Ren hardly paid attention to what the older man was doing because inside his mind was going a mile a minute. This was the man that he'd heard so many stories about, about how he had kept his father alive time and time again. This was the man he was named after, so he must have been one of the most important people in his parents' lives. He just… he had so many questions he wanted to ask but he wasn't sure he had the energy to ask them all.

"Did you really save my dad's life?" Ren finally managed to inquire, eliciting a bit of a somber smile from the old healer.

"I prefer the stories being told that I merely helped your father along, and that he overcame of his own wi-"

"No, no, no. Uh-uh, Mister Renado, don't you do that," Colin interjected, "Yeah, Link's strong and all that, but you saved his life a million and a half times and you better not be discrediting yourself like that."

Renado laughed, "Who would have thought that at my age I would be getting chastised by my children!"

Ren didn't allow the subject to change, "My mom named me after you because she said it was what my dad would've wanted. She said you played a huge part in protecting everyone during the twilight."

Renado tried to shrug it off once again, but Colin was quick to interject, "Yes, yes he did. He kept all us kids safe when we couldn't get back to our parents. He kept us all hopeful when the kingdom was at war and when the sky went dark, but especially when Link would be gone for months at a time. He kept our spirits high, even though I know now, as an adult, that he probably needed someone to do that for him even more so."

"You children kept my spirits high more than you could possibly ever know," Renado chimed in, "After Luda lost her mother, she and I were mostly alone in this town for many years. You all not only gave her the bonds and companionship _she_ needed, but you gave me the sense of purpose that _I_ so desperately needed."

He could see Colin smile out of the corners of his eyes, and that was when he looked Ren straight on and said, "You see, there are always multiple sides to any one story. From one perspective things may appear one dimensional, but all one needs is to look from a different angle to see how multi-faceted every situation truly is."

Ren's eyes widened a bit – every single word the shaman said seemed to have a thousand different meanings; he'd never heard someone say so much in so little.

He couldn't help but feel… exhausted. He felt out of place, embarrassed, confused… guilty. He found it draining to be surrounded by people that wanted to talk to him for such an extended amount of time. Since the loss of his mother, he'd made sure to keep mostly to himself, and he adored his alone time. It allowed him to feel comfortable, at peace, almost as if he could hear her voice again if he was quiet enough.

He wanted to be alone.

Ren exaggerated a yawn and a tall stretch as he stood up on the stairwell, forcing Renado to halt in looking over his burnt leg. He grasped the banister a second later before saying, "I'm really tired, can I just go to bed?"

Colin tensed his brow worriedly, "Without dinner?"

"Yeah, I'm not really hungry," he lied, glancing nervously between the two older men and praying they wouldn't catch on.

They did, but Renado let him go, "The room at the end of the hall is open for you. I hope you have pleasant dreams."

Ren gave a crooked smile and made his way up the stairs, down the hall, and into the room before closing the door audibly behind him.

Colin sighed, allowing himself to fall into a nearby stool, "I worry about that kid, Mister Renado."

Renado frowned, "As do I, my boy. But I am sure, with the strength of both of his parents flowing through his veins, that he will be alright in time. His leg, however, is quite damaged."

"Yeah, I know…"

Just then, Talo reentered the room from the kitchen. His eyes were visibly puffy and red and it was obvious that he had been crying.

"Talo…" Colin barely whispered, more so to himself as he could barely contain the shock of seeing his brother-figure so upset – it was an extremely rare sight to see him display such feelings.

"What!" he yelled, anxiously wiping his hands down his face, "I-I was just chopping a TON of onions. Like, you wouldn't believe how many onions I was just chopping up," he stammered, reminding the others that this was, in fact, still the same Talo as ever.

When Renado and Colin simply stared back at him in silence, he murmured, "It-It was seriously a lot of onions."

"We all loved Ilia, my son. There is no shame is displaying your grief – we all feel it just as you," Renado said reassuringly.

"I just-," he huffed, tossing a dish rag he had in his hand atop the front counter and removing his apron, crumpling it, and throwing it in a flurry just the same, "I feel horrible because Kina was so young when she met Ilia that she doesn't even remember her, and Orielle and the new baby will never get to meet her. I just – I don't know! I'm mad at myself for not going back home often enough."

"Your parents _did_ say they missed you and wanted to see their grandkids. Evan even seems to kind of remember Kina," Colin smiled.

Talo smirked as the image of his nephew and daughter playing together as mere toddlers filled his mind's eye, but he was quick to be overtaken with guilt yet again, "I know, I know. I – ugh, this is embarrassing," he sighed, running a hand down his face as if to hide his shame.

"What is?" Colin asked.

"I don't like leaving to visit because I'm honestly terrified, okay?" he threw his hands down in defeat, "I picture those damn fields still being filled with monsters. Every day that I wake up here for a split second I'm almost positive there's some attack or something and hell, I don't know, it just sounds dumb. It all happened so long ago when we were kids, but I'm still just so damn scared that something's gonna come storming in around that bend and I won't be strong enough to protect my family."

Renado and Colin were silent, for it was a feeling they all shared. The flustered young man's father-in-law wanted to say something to console him, but he knew there really wasn't much to be said. The only thing that had the slimmest chance of curing the post traumatic stresses they all endured was the slow, painful ticking of time – and a lot of it.

Talo could tell that they understood his feelings and that they were at a loss as well, so he continued in order to fill in the awkward silence, "Somethin' else that bothers me damn near every day is Link."

Colin perked up, looking Talo square in his emerald irises.

"What about him? You haven't seen him, have you?" he questioned anxiously.

Talo shook his head, "No, and that's what scares me."

"Ren and I left Ordon to search for him," Colin revealed.

"No way," Talo's smirk was almost mischievous, "Really?"

"Really. We came here first hoping that any of you might have seen him more recently than we have."

"I'm afraid we haven't," Renado answered sadly, "and I'm not so sure I could advise you to continue your search."

"Oh no, not you, too, Mister Renado," Colin huffed agitatedly, "My dad along with nearly everyone back in Ordon has given up on Link and now so have you?"

Renado sighed, "No, child, I have not given up on Link. I assure you that I am well aware of his survivability and his seemingly limitless limits, but it is for that reason that I am unsure if your adventure could be fruitful."

Colin perched an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Gramps here just has a case of the old people pessimism," Talo grumbled.

"Not at all," Renado said, "What I mean is… There are only two different paths Link could have taken after departing – he could have decided to travel as far as Epona was willing, leaving Hyrule in the dust ages behind him, meaning our search for him would be endless in this vast world created by the goddesses. Or, he could have decided to stay right here in our very own kingdom, right under our noses, but kept himself secret enough so as to never be found."

"I don't understand," Colin began, "If he decided to leave Hyrule, then fine, but if he stayed here, why in the world would he not at least visit every so often just to let us know he was alive?"

"He simply does not wish to be found, and that is the option that worries me most."

Colin scratched the back of his head a bit frustratingly, "I know the stuff he went through during the twilight really screwed him up, but-"

Renado raised his hand to halt the young man, "That is but the greatest understatement that could be made. His mental state was… beyond repair. He no longer cared for himself or for many others. He was not the Link we knew and loved at the end of his journey. It changed him immeasurably."

The blond-haired Ordonian hung his head in thought then, just as Talo rested his chin in his propped up hand in nearly the same manner. They were both there at the end, they saw their big brother in the final days leading up to his sudden departure, they knew it was bad, but… perhaps their youth and naivety had clouded the severity of that memory just a bit.

After several moments of silence, Colin looked back up at the shaman, "If he doesn't want to be found… what can we do?"

With that, Renado could only give a sigh and a defeated shrug, "I'm afraid I do not know, my boy. The only suggestion I can muster for you is to seek out the queen."

"The queen?" Colin repeated, mainly just to hear it out loud and to ensure that he had heard the older man correctly.

"Oh, yeah," Talo perked up, "She and Link always seemed pretty close. Maybe she'd know something? Maybe he's been to see her?"

Renado nodded, "Or, perhaps, at the very least, she can simply shed some light on your situation. She and our hero have quite the… _connection_ , so to speak."

"That's a great idea, Mister Renado! Thanks!" Colin exclaimed as he turned and ran for the staircase.

"Woah, woah, woah! Where do you think you're going?" Talo shouted.

Colin slowed down only momentarily to reply, "Gotta get to bed so we can head out first thing in the morning to find Link!"

"Without DINNER!" the feisty brunet yelled angrily.

Colin halted abruptly, spun around on his heel, grabbed an apple from the bowl on the front counter and with a smile and a nod in both men's directions, he bounded up the stairs and into the first open room he came across.

"Tch," Talo scoffed bitterly, "Good thing no one was staying in that room."

Renado gave a good chuckle before standing and clapping his son-in-law on the shoulder, "Don't worry, son, your little girls and I will make quick work of that delicious meal – and all those supposed onions," he whispered the last bit and Talo couldn't help but smirk in return.

Upstairs, in the room at the end of the hall, Ren had heard everything. None of the banter about him or his father really fazed him, as it was the same old, same old that he felt like he had been hearing his entire life. The possibility of a lead to find his father, though? Now _that_ was exciting. He had an identical reaction to Colin; he leapt into bed, eager to drift off as soon as possible so that morning would come that much quicker. He found it exceptionally difficult to fall asleep, but within the hour, he was in dreamland.

When morning came, Ren was up and ready before the birds could begin their songs just outside his window. Luda prepared a private breakfast of her famous cinnamon oats just for them, no inn guests permitted. Renado mentioned that visiting Telma and the former resistance members in her bar would be the best place to start as it wasn't exactly _allowed_ for people to simply approach the queen. Even though she knew them well, and she alone would likely let them into her castle, the king seemed to hold more power over her these days, and the wise shaman warned them to be cautious - that he believed that King Viscen was _not_ the benevolent leader he made himself out to be.

After the filling meal, Colin and Ren prepared their horses, and said their short goodbyes. They assured everyone that they would be back to Kakariko whether they were able to find Link or not – it had become so much more apparent to them all now that visiting loved ones as often as possible was of the utmost importance, because it was never clear when the goddesses would choose to pluck one of their many people to live amongst them in the heavens again.

From the openness of the sprawling, brilliant green field, the destination lay before them clear as day. The castle's many stones and bricks shone in the rising sunlight even from their distance, the beauty and wonderment of the structure seeming to beckon them closer and closer. Ren could barely contain his excitement.

He just hoped it all went according to plan.

* * *

 _15 Years Ago_

The night was dark and cold.

The moon was high and the stars were bright, but not as bright as the castle towers.

The town surrounding the outer ramparts and battlements was lively and festive this evening, as this was the start of a new monarchy. The king was just crowned hours earlier, and the civilians were celebrating in his honor.

The queen's brow was tense as she clasped her hands tightly in front of her as she'd been trained to do her whole life. Her eyes were focused, yet distant, as they gazed off down into the quiet bailey of the castle courtyard far below her.

She was filled with an uncontrollable anxiety that she hadn't felt since her kingdom was attacked by an otherworldly usurper. She was lost in thought, worry, doubt… and for that reason she couldn't hear someone approaching her.

"You look troubled, princess."

Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest as she whirled around to see the shadowed form of the hero standing on the parapet.

"Link! You frightened me half to death!" she scolded quietly.

The hero hopped down off the low wall to join her on her chamber's balcony. He was silent as she collected herself and slowed both her rapid heartbeat and her breathing. She glanced at where he had been standing, then over the edge of the terrace, before staring back up at him bewildered.

"How on Farore's green earth did you get up here?"

He chuckled, "I can't reveal all my tricks, you know."

She huffed angrily at his playfulness when she was being all too serious, "Link, you really shouldn't be here," she looked around frantically, pushing him back into the dark corner of the balcony and praying no one had seen him, "If you get caught-"

"Aren't you the queen? I thought you had the say-so around here," he said with confusion written clearly upon his handsome face.

She released her grip on him with a defeated sigh, "I still do, it's just-"

"This king…" Link began, gazing off into the bright lights of the bustling town, "You're worried he's not as good as he makes everyone believe."

She simply nodded, "He plays the part well. He says what the people want to hear, he does what the people want to see, and, overall, he fits the mold of the king this land is in such dire need for."

"Well then," he started, moving to stand beside the queen at the parapet, leaning his elbows against it as he looked into her concerned eyes, "It sounds like he's the perfect king."

Her light blue irises turned drastically at that moment from anxious, to pure sadness, and for reasons he (on paper, understood, but in practice) simply could not grasp, he understood her every emotion.

"You're concerned this king that has sprung into your kingdom like a fox unto the hen house, will disrupt everything you've built," he glanced out across her sprawling land, then back to her porcelain face, "You're frightened because he has the love and adoration of your people, and you're terrified of what he could do with that power."

He stared ever into her eyes that dared not reciprocate, but he could see that he was right.

"This king, this…" he pursed his lips, the name even tingling his spine, "This _Viscen_ … You've had to marry him and you're afraid of the doors you've opened because of it."

She broke down then, and it was something Link had never seen before. She dropped her always composed face into her dainty hands and just bawled. The hero turned her toward him and pulled her in for a tight embrace. He wrapped his strong arms around her tiny frame and simply let her cry. He knew she was never allowed to express her emotions, and he knew just how painful it could be to keep it all bottled up. He wanted to give her the moment to just let it all out, but there was one thing he had to say.

"I don't know about this Viscen guy, but you're the best judge of character I know," he whispered into her ear, still clinging to her tightly, "I know that if this guy does try anything you don't agree with, you won't just let it slide. I know you blame yourself for whatever you think might happen that hasn't even happened yet, but you didn't arrange this marriage, your council did. Sadly, there's nothing you can do about them, but I know that you will stand up for your kingdom no matter what."

"Link…" she sobbed, finally pulling back, "You do not fully understand… As king, I have no power over him," she sniffled, "I get this feeling from him that I cannot describe, but I know he does not have good intentions with my kingdom. His mother and father sent him here to be Hyrule's king even though he is their first born son and the rightful heir to the throne in his home of Labrynna. Why would they do that? I just know… I know there is some greater plan at work here. I know there is malicious intent, but without evidence, I cannot prove it, and no one would believe me simply on good faith because, to them, he appears perfect."

Link furrowed his brow, "I know I don't know much about how the monarchy works, but… I suppose there's no separation allowed in the castle?"

"No. The king and queen, after coronation, marriage, and consummation, are bound until one either dies, or is excommunicated by the people."

Link cleared his throat awkwardly, "Consummation? And how exactly would the people or the church know if that happened? Couldn't that part be easily avoided?"

"No," the queen shook her head forlornly, "Law in Viscen's kingdom is that when a union is being formed with a foreign monarch, proof of consummation of the marriage must be provided before a coronation can happen, and when two people from differing kingdoms come together, it is voted on by the council which laws should be brought over – as you can guess, that was one of them."

He glanced at the lights in the town behind her, then back at her, "You mean…"

"A doctor must prove consummation happened with pregnancy. The law was created to ensure that the potential marriage was legitimate, that the kingdom was welcoming a new ruler that was serious about not only their position, but the future of the kingdom they are to join – meaning, future generations of rulers."

Link was dumbfounded, and couldn't find his voice for several moments before finally uttering, "That's why the coronation was today."

"I know what you're thinking," she looked at him sternly, "I didn't have a choice in the matter. I did what I had to do."

He was quick to shake his head, "N-No, princess, it's not that at all."

She sighed solemnly, reverting the subject, "The doctor announced it and Viscen was permitted the crown, and for that, the people rejoiced," she looked out over her kingdom, the distant laughter and songs of her overjoyed populace just reaching her long ears, "My people adore him… adore his unborn child."

"They adore you, too, princess. They've always adored you."

"Will they still when I stand up against him? Will they still when, despite his pretty words and his empty promises, I raise my voice against him?"

He was silent.

" _That_ is my concern, hero. I fear that, in their desperation for a time of everlasting peace and harmony throughout the entirety of their homeland, my people will believe anything their king says. He will tell them whatever they want to hear, even if it is not feasible. He promises them things that cannot be done, and I refuse to lie to my people, and raise their hopes to unnatural heights only to inevitably let them down."

Link hung his head, completely at a loss for what to say.

Zelda sighed, "I apologize. You did not risk your life breaking into the castle and scaling its walls just to listen to me sob. What is it that brought you here tonight?"

Link feigned offense with a mock expression of hurt, " _Breaking_ is a bit of a strong word, princess. I assure you I have not broken any laws."

"Mm-hmm," she placed her hands on her hips, "Just being here right now is against the law, you do know that?"

"Oh, come on," he shrugged, "Don't I get any leniency for being the hero or something?"

She covered her upturned lips with her gloved hand as she giggled.

"And, please, don't worry about the ' _sobbing_ ,'" he changed to that of a serious tone then, "I know the terrible feeling that you can't let your emotions out to anyone around you, that you have to mask whatever vulnerabilities you may be feeling in order to appear strong to others. I get that, and I'm glad to be an outlet for you – everyone needs one, even a princess."

She smiled playfully, "You know, you really cannot keep calling me princess seeing as I'm now a queen."

"I'll work on it," he smirked.

She laughed for the slightest second, but was quick to return to the conversation at hand, "You came here for something, hero, at least let me help you with whatever you need."

"Well," he began with a click of his tongue, "Just hoping I can still hold you to your promise to help me get back to her."

The queen smiled mischievously before turning towards the grand, double glass doors that led into her ornate chambers, "Turns out, I have something that may help you."

* * *

 _ **Even the people that appear the strongest still lose their balance.**_

* * *

 _A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!_

Melissa T., Lord Zant, Lee Glerum, Eve79, Gabby-J, Debora, Daniel Kirkerud

 _You guys are amazing!_


	5. Sheep to the Slaughter

**A/N:** _This chapter was revised as of 11/21/2017 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed._

* * *

 **When Heroes Fall**

 _By:_ _Selphie_ _Kinneas_ _175_

Chapter 5: Sheep to the Slaughter

 **.:.**

The sun that early afternoon was almost as high in the atmosphere as the boys' excitement was in their hearts.

The mere idea - the simple thought that they were possibly even the _tiniest_ bit closer to finding their hero - had them on the tips of their toes in anticipation.

Granted, none of their plan was exactly _guaranteed_ to work – they didn't even know if they'd be able to gain an audience with the queen – but just that reestablished hope was enough to bring smiles to their eager, youthful faces.

Through that newly vibrant sense of hope, there was also fear burrowed deep within Ren's spirit. His fear wasn't even necessarily of failure, or of being unable to find his father, or of even being unable to go any further in his search should the ominous king shut his pursuit down right before it could truly begin. His strongest fear was of the actual _moment_ he might get to finally meet his father. As far as he was aware, the hero had no idea he even existed. Would he be angry upon seeing him? Would he be sad, or upset? Would he not even believe him, or worse, disown him? He had no idea what to expect, and, perhaps, the not knowing was the most frightening part.

While the castle's stones sparkled brilliantly beneath a bright, golden sun, Ren couldn't help but shake a feeling of dread involving his soon and inevitable meeting with this… _king_. Renado had warned them that he was not as he seemed, and Ren wasn't sure how to take that. If all the people believed he was a good king, what else mattered? Maybe he was too young to understand the finer details of politics and all that nonsense, but wasn't the adoration of your people one of the most important aspects of ruling a country? If he had that, what could possibly be so bad about him?

Besides, if Queen Zelda liked him enough to marry him, surely he couldn't be all bad… right? And even beyond that, how would Renado know? Sure, as far as Ren knew he was exponentially wise and immeasurably intelligent, but he was pretty positive the shaman hadn't actually _met_ the king himself, so how would he know? Could the wisdom of an old man from Kakariko outweigh the simple minds of the people at the king's very feet?

Ren visibly shook his head at his conflicting thoughts – who knew really, he sure as hell didn't, and thinking about it just gave him a headache.

He'd let the adults deal with that.

He reached his hand into his pocket and fiddled with the mysterious shards he had found in his father's hearth. For some reason, they gave him a sense of comfort whenever he was feeling uneasy.

"You'll really like the people we're getting ready to meet with, Ren," Colin spoke up, putting an end to the somewhat awkward silence and the young boy's rampant mind.

He could tell the silence was there because Ren felt anxious about what was to come, and he wanted to try and alleviate that in any way he could.

Ren turned to him, his interest just slightly piqued, "Oh?"

"Yeah," the blond young man smiled, "Telma will welcome you in with open arms – and very likely a really, _really_ tight hug, so get ready for that. Ashei, Shad, and Auru are the resistance members that live there. Ashei was super blunt and honest the few times I've met her, and Shad is the super intellectual one. Auru is the wise, old guy, and kind of keeps the younger members in check – with the help of my dad back in the day."

Ren simply nodded once slowly, picturing what they all might look like in his mind's eye.

"I haven't seen any of them in such a long time," Colin went on, "So, I'm not sure what's changed, if anything. Last time I saw them all was…" he paused, remembering it as if it were yesterday, "when your dad put an end to the twilight."

Ren was quick to change the subject, "What about Uncle Malo? We should get to see him while we're here, right?"

Colin chuckled, "Goddesses, yes, that little jerk. We'll make sure to visit his shop and say hello before we leave – Farore, I haven't seen him in far too long."

The older of the two Ordonians looked a tad forlorn then, and so Ren kept the conversation going.

"And the queen? My mom mentioned that you guys got to meet her when she was still the princess. Do you think she'll help us?"

Colin pondered it a moment, "I think _she'll_ help us, yes, but it's what Mister Renado said about the king that's got me a bit worried."

Ren said nothing then, simply because he had nothing to say. He was excited, nervous, frightened, and elated all at once, and his heart felt tight in his chest. The anticipation was just killing him – he couldn't wait to meet his father, to tell him how much he'd missed him, to tell him all about the last fifteen years of his life, to just… _know_ him.

As they were crossing the long drawbridge into the outskirts of Castle Town, Colin caught sight of a young girl near a patch of wild flowers. She had long, wavy blonde hair tied into two low ponytails, and she had the brightest grin on her youthful face as she watched a butterfly land gracefully atop a pink poppy. The young man felt his heart flutter much akin to the insect she was so drawn to, and he nearly toppled off his horse trying to crane his neck around to keep watching her. She glanced up at him at the last possible second and smiled, but he had already been beaming like a love-struck fool.

Ren chuckled when he saw his uncle regain his composure clumsily, grasping firmly for the horn of the saddle to keep himself steady.

"What's that look for?"

Flustered, Colin blinked at him, "What look? Nothing! No look."

"Uh huh," Ren laughed, "Looks like someone has a crush."

"Hah," Colin sputtered, focusing straight ahead again, "Yeah right."

Castle Town felt busier than usual, but perhaps it had been so long that Colin had simply gotten used to the quiet buzz of Ordon in comparison. Actually, Colin had only been to Castle Town a total of two times in his life, and both had been many, many years ago. It was long before the twilight blanketed all of Hyrule in its wicked shadow, when he was still just a small child. Rusl had taken his son with him to a meeting with the resistance when Uli had fallen ill one summer, taking the boy off of her hands in order to let her rest. Colin remembered meeting with each of the people his father worked with fondly, and he had adored their company so much that he had asked his dad to take him back the next summer. He did, and his son loved it the second time just as much as he had the first. They had planned on making it an annual outing for just the two of them, but when the next year rolled around, darkness had consumed the land and the children were whisked away by demons.

Still, Colin was happy that he had at least gotten to see the members of the resistance when everyone was tending to Link after his battle with the king of evil, but that had been the last time to this day that he had seen them; would they even still be there?

They left their steeds in the town stables, Ren a bit apprehensively as it was his first time being away from his new friend since he met her. With a bit of reassurance from his uncle, they were on their way.

Colin could still remember how to get to Telma's bar as if he had just been there yesterday. They slithered and shimmied through thick crowds of people on narrow side-streets lined with vendors and their various carts and stalls. The merchants were shouting their wares into the already boisterous slew of bodies mashed together, causing some of the more-easily swayed of the bunch to alter course in hopes of getting a half-priced hydromelon to cool them off on this hot day.

As they entered, a warm, musty breeze ruffled their hair. The aroma of the bar was one Colin could've never forgotten either, although now, as an adult, he could pinpoint what each of the scents were. A sharp tang of alcohol, a pungent stench of sweat, a slight hint of vomit, and a subtle nod to a woman's perfume mixed with that of cat fur. Seeing (or, in this case, smelling) the world through the mindset of a child was always much more magical, Colin realized bitterly.

Ren was slightly confused. _This_ was where the resistance met and plotted how to bring about the end of the reign of evil years ago? This was where his father met with his friends and discussed war and strategy? It was... _gross_.

Large men with even larger voices and mugs to match clanked their drinks together and cackled obnoxiously. Foam spilled over the top of the lids of their numerous beverages with each drunken gesture and each over-the-top flail. It was midday - what were all these men doing getting drunk? Ren couldn't understand living a life where you could barely remember it.

Colin cast a glance down at his nephew, his mild look of disgust catching his attention.

"I know it's not glamorous," he spoke up, the two still standing at the entrance, "But it's a place to unwind and relax."

Ren looked around still, unsure who in Farore's green earth could possibly find a setting like this peaceful.

"If you say so," was all he said.

Colin was a bit put off by the boy's distaste, but he could understand it. Ren had never seen anything outside of Ordon, so it made sense that a life like this was completely foreign to him. He had only ever really seen people living wholesome lives, surviving off of the land together and living as one big family. Farming, gardening, ranching - waking up with the crow of a cucco at the first sight of sunlight and drifting off to sleep atop warm cotton with the only cares in the world being those much too far away to ever reach him. He'd heard the horror stories of what everyone had gone through during the twilight, but Colin figured it must just seem like a fairytale to him - a legend.

"The resistance always met back there," he pointed, at last breaking the awkward silence between the two of them, yet nearly shouting to be heard over the noisy bar patrons.

Telma hadn't been behind the counter, and instead there was a young girl with red hair tied back into a ponytail. She gave them a smile as they walked by, and Colin just figured that Telma would be at the back table with the others. The curtain was not drawn as it usually was, so it served as a partition that cut it off from the rest of the bar. The blond young man found that a bit odd as well, but assumed they simply were conducting some important business that they need not have others listening in on. With Ren following close at his heels, Colin approached the curtain and drew it back, stepping inside with a smile on his face that quickly diminished.

"Oi! Kid! What're ya doin' in here?" a portly old man yelled at him from the table, a pipe in one hand and a mug in the other. Several wealthy looking - yet still utterly wasted - men sat around the familiar table. Two scantily clad young women stood around them, and it was obvious that this was somewhere they didn't want to be.

Colin outstretched his palms in defense, "I-I sincerely apologize. I-I thought my friends were back here. I'm so sorry."

He backed out before Ren could so much as take a peek, the booming uproar from the fattest of the swine caught his ears but he cared not to listen to it.

He let the curtains fall at his back as he spun around to his nephew, eyes narrow with confusion.

"I'm guessing they're not in there," Ren said flatly.

"Uh no, not quite," Colin sighed.

"Goodness gracious!" a loud voice suddenly grabbed their attention, the both of them turning towards the source in a flash.

It was Telma from across the bar. She approached Colin with open arms, taking him in for a warm hug as she said, "I would recognize my sweet Colin from a mile away, honey!"

She stepped back, "My, how you've grown!"

Colin smiled, "It's so nice to see you, Telma."

"Oh, how nice it is to see you, sweetie," she grinned, glancing then at Ren, "And who is this?"

"This is Ren," Colin stated, a bit unsure of how she would react.

"Ren...?" she asked quizzically, immediately thinking of her beloved shaman in Kakariko.

"I'm Link's and Ilia's son," Ren blurted at last.

Telma stood still for a moment before reiterating, "Link... and Ilia?"

She looked to Colin for affirmation, and he gave her a simple nod.

She was confused, to say the least, but ecstatic nonetheless, "Well, I'll be. Link and Ilia made quite a good lookin' boy didn't they?"

Ren blushed, but before he could feel too embarrassed, she grabbed him in a tight embrace. As she pulled back she gave him a peck on the cheek, keeping her arms on his shoulders as she looked him over.

"My, my. Sweetie, you sure are identical to that handsome father of yours. But I can tell you've got my darling Ilia's spunk in ya," she winked happily.

Neither of the boys would mention anything off of that - there was simply no need right now.

"Well," she stood upright again, "What brings you two sweet peas all the way to my bar, hm?"

"We were hoping to talk to Shad, Ashei, and Auru, but I see they're not here," Colin replied.

"Yes," Telma began a bit forlornly, "They disbanded the resistance some time ago."

Colin looked almost heartbroken as he asked, "Why?"

"Well, honey, I s'pose I should let you ask them yourselves."

"Where are they?"

"Auru moved in upstairs several years ago. Poor dear has no family left and wanted nothing more than to live out the rest of his life in the company of the few loved ones still around. He stays up there most every day - age has finally caught up to him it seems."

Colin swallowed hard, hating how much everything had changed, "And Ashei and Shad?"

"They live together in a little house just up the street. Those sweethearts will have plenty to catch you up on, I'm sure."

Ren glanced up at his uncle, the expression on his face being one he couldn't quite pinpoint. He seemed perplexed, his brow a bit tight and his eyes narrowed as he listened to the older woman. He also seemed sad, his eyes betraying the tough exterior that he was trying so hard to train himself to use. He remembered Link, and how he was always so strong on the outside, and he never let anyone have the slightest idea that he was ever hurting on the inside. Colin wanted to be like that with everything he had in him; he would always keep trying.

"Thank you, Telma," the older of the two said after having received rough directions to the former resistance members' new residence, "We'll be on our way then."

She nodded with a grin so wide it lit up the entire room, "Don't be a stranger now, you hear me?"

Colin smiled, placing a hand on Ren's back to nudge him along as they made their way for the door. Ren glanced over his shoulder at the bar matron one last time before leaving, and she blew him a kiss as he waved goodbye with a crooked smirk.

"Ashei and Shad... living together?" Colin whispered to himself as they stepped outside, the fresh air calming their senses.

"Is that odd?" Ren asked.

Colin chuckled, "Uh, yeah. From what I remember they were always bickering and yelling at each other. Dad always seemed to think there was more there though; guess he knew what he was talking about."

Remembering that Telma had told him to head outside, make a left, go down the street, take a right, and that their home would be nestled amongst several other small housing units in one of the nearby neighborhoods, they made their way there straight away.

Ren was astounded by the sheer size of Castle Town. He followed Colin blindly, much more intrigued by what was all around him than where they were going. A little jolt of pain shot up his leg with each step, but he was learning to ignore it. As they saw before, many merchants continued to line every street of the bustling town, and there were so many civilians it was almost claustrophobic. There were cats and dogs scurrying around the cobblestones at his feet, and birds chirping high above his head. The tall towers that before seemed so far in the distance were now so close and _so_ unbelievably tall. Ren thought the trees back home were tall, but they were nothing compared to this. He could've sworn that the central-most tower was touching the sun.

Children dashed back and forth in front of him, almost causing him to trip. Adults argued over the prices of wares and over the state of things that were out of their control. Banners depicting the face of a man he did not recognize fluttered in the wind, and everything felt so... _exciting_ , so _alive_. Life was so _slow_ in Ordon. Days trickled by, clouds crawled past, the sun dawdled leisurely through the sky, and each day was taken one at a time. Here, everything was fast. The people ran here and there, the animals scampered to and fro, the clouds dashed past, and each instant was gone like a leaf in the wind. Everything here was hectic, lively, and interesting. He liked it.

"I think this is it," Colin said at last as the two found themselves standing before a narrow, mostly-vertical apartment that sat in the middle of several others that looked just like it.

He gulped down the nerves, gave the door a firm knock, then stepped back beside his nephew.

The door swung open in a second flat, and Colin couldn't help but smile at the familiar face that greeted him.

"Well, my stars! If it isn't Rusl's boy! Colin, isn't it?" the red-haired man that was Shad exclaimed.

Colin smiled, "Yes, it is."

"Oh, my dear boy! How long it has been! Come in, come in!" he motioned enthusiastically, opening his door wider and standing aside to let his guests enter.

The quarters were small, as were many of the houses within the castle town walls themselves. There was a wooden staircase to a second floor just to the left of the entrance, and straight ahead were the living areas with a place to sit and relax, and a place to eat just at the end of the room. The walls and floor were made of stone, but various paintings, rugs, and tapestries livened up the otherwise cold textiles. There wasn't much space in this main area, but Ren supposed it was enough for the two of them. There were two small sofas facing each other in the middle of the room with a coffee table between them, and there was a soft, cushy arm chair beside the fireplace. At the back was a kitchen with counters for prep, a heavy, metal pot over a fire for cooking, and a small, round table in the middle for enjoying meals together. It was quaint, and it somehow reminded Colin of life back in Ordon where material things didn't matter nearly as much as the people you shared them with.

"Come, have a seat dear boy. Perhaps you would like some tea?" he offered excitedly, already reaching for the kettle.

Colin shook his head as he sat down at the table, "No, thank you."

"And for the lad?" he offered again, extending a cup to Ren.

Ren also shook his head, "No thanks, sir."

"Such manners!" Shad proclaimed, setting the teapot back down before finding a seat at the table across from Colin, "Why, dear boy, if you don't mind me saying so, you bear a striking resemblance to our hero of twilight, but I am sure you have gotten that before."

Ren smiled just slightly, "Um... You could say that."

"Shad," Colin interjected, "This is Link's son, Ren."

The scholar's mouth instantly fell open, "My stars..." He stared across the table at Ren, his dark blue eyes boring a hole in him even from behind his shiny glasses, "I had no idea he had a son."

"Not many do," Colin replied quietly, "It came as a surprise to all of us all those years ago."

Ren felt a bit uncomfortable then, but luckily a noise behind them at the stairs drew their attention.

"What's all the commotion?" a female voice rang loud in the small home, "What, you don't even bother to let me know we have guests, yeah?"

Shad got to his feet in a flurry, "Ashei, dear! Why, we have Rusl's boy, Colin, and Link's son, Ren, joining us this afternoon!"

"Say what?" she instantly spat, "Link's _son_?"

"It's nice to meet you," Ren said as he turned to greet the shocked young woman with his hand held out towards her.

"Uh," she stammered, and a sudden, much smaller hand abruptly grabbed his.

"Hi there! It's nice to meet you! I sure have heard a lot of awesome stories about your dad!" a small girl chirped eagerly, quickly making herself known from behind Ashei.

The girl was cute, Ren couldn't deny it, but she was a bit… overbearing. She had long, dark brown hair, and bright, beaming blue eyes. She was grinning from ear to ear as she shook Ren's hand vigorously.

"Aveil, don't scare the poor boy," Shad spoke up, resuming his seat at the table.

"It's just exciting, ya know? I've heard so many _enthralling_ stories about the hero – I have so many questions to ask you about him!" she exclaimed, pulling a notepad and pencil seemingly out of thin air as she went on, "How old was he when he became the hero? Was it easy for him? Did he always know how to wield a sword or did he have to learn as he went? What was his favorite color? Did he read books? Did he like carrots? Did he-"

"Aveil!" Ashei shouted, "For Din's sake, take a breath and give the damn kid a break, yeah?"

"Ugh," she sighed, closing her little book and flopping down onto the nearby sofa in defeat, "Fine."

Ren was wide-eyed in confusion, but Colin mustered a slightly awkward chuckle and filled in the silence for him, "Well, sorry, _Aveil_ ," he presumed, "But he'd hardly be able to really answer your questions anyway – we haven't seen Link in years and that's actually why we came by today."

"Goodness gracious, don't tell me you have not heard from him, either?" Shad whispered.

"No," Colin said glumly, "We haven't."

"Tch," Ashei scoffed, "Kid always was keeping everyone on their toes, yeah? Always had us all worried over him, damnit."

"Before we get into that though, can I ask what… _this_ is?" Colin smirked curiously, motioning his hands about.

"What?" Ashei questioned, completely lost.

"You have to excuse her, dear boy," Shad began, leaning in, "while she is the light of my life she has always had one candle put out if you know what I mean."

"Excuse me?" she yelled irritably, eliciting a giggle from the little girl on the couch.

"Ashei and I were married not long after the twilight, you see," he went on despite her interruption, "I suppose our endless quarreling was simply masked romance."

"Gross," Ashei muttered.

"We moved into this quite humble abode together and Aveil joined our family not long after."

"I'm thirteen," she stated nonchalantly with a wave of her arm over the couch at those sitting at the table behind her.

"Why did you guys leave the resistance?" Ren finally dared, truthfully not caring for the small talk in the slightest.

The two glanced at him, then at each other.

Ashei sighed a bit sadly, "Just wasn't really a point anymore, yeah? Your dad took care of the real threat, and we didn't really have a purpose anymore."

"The kingdom has been mostly at peace, you see," Shad entered, "Without anything in particular to _resist_ , what does a _resistance_ do?"

"But what about that king?" Ren asked, "I've heard he isn't all he's made out to be."

Ashei gave a sarcastic chuckle, "Not much to be done there either, kid. The king's the king, yeah? Can't exactly _resist_ that, either – not for lack of trying."

"Okay," Colin interjected, his palms held out before him and eyes momentarily closed, "Take a step back and fill me in, please – I'm totally lost. This king… what's wrong with him? He seems fine, but Mister Renado said for us to be careful. I don't understand what's going on at all."

"Yeah, that, and can you tell us about the last time you saw my dad?" Ren added.

"Well," Shad began, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "There happens to be quite a lot to tell there, dear boy, on both counts. I am presuming you have time for a tale or two?"

"Yes, of course," Ren replied promptly.

Shad cleared his throat, lifting the teapot and pouring out a few drinks for everyone, even despite their previous refusal, knowing now that they would be here a while.

"Well then, you see, when our dear Zelda was merely the princess of our beautiful Hyrule, she was arranged to marry the prince from the kingdom Labrynna, who we know now as Viscen. Terms were put in place that several uninvolved political officials deemed fair. Senates from both parties, council members, the king and queen of Labrynna, those sorts of people. They were wed, and Viscen became the king of Hyrule as Zelda became the queen."

Ashei moved to sit on the small, cushy seat beside the fire as the story went on, everyone else making themselves comfortable as well as Shad continued talking.

"There are many finer, intricate policies that were put into place that simply do not matter in this particular tale, but Hyrule has not been the same since then. It has not necessarily been change for the worse, but the common citizens of our fair country are simply too lackadaisical to seek out the truth."

"What truth?" Colin asked, "I still don't understand."

"There are few wise enough to embrace it, but Ashei and myself see that the king is not all as he appears."

"He has the people believing he's some goddess-send, yeah?" Ashei added, "He's got the whole of the kingdom in the palm of his hand, and he knows the common folk will believe anything he says."

"Yes, he is quite the intelligent man, you see. He is well aware of how to work the system, the words to weave, which bonds to strengthen and which to diminish."

"He's damn-near got the kingdom going against the queen at this point," Ashei muttered.

"But why?" Colin questioned with a furrowed brow, "What's the point of coming here just to slander our queen's reputation? What does he gain?"

"He gains Hyrule, dear boy," Shad stated plainly, "As he poisons the people against their queen, he further extends his reach and only grows his power. Hyrule is the kingdom of the gods - as it is told across the whole of the land from the sea to the most distant peaks - and as such, is always desired by many with malicious intent."

"I knew there was something off about him all those years ago, yeah? But he paints pretty pictures and says what everyone wants to hear. He promises jobs and food, endless rupees for all and not a single citizen out on the streets. He promises peace and yet the people condone the wars he starts to keep that artificial _peace_ ," she scoffed, "No one cares to look beyond the tips of their own noses, yeah? No one cares for what doesn't affect them directly, and the way they see it, as long as their pockets and stomachs are full everything is fine and dandy."

"Yes, well," Shad began, taking a sip of his chamomile tea, "I do also believe that he has more planned. Perhaps he seeks the blade of evil's bane? Or even the triforce? I feel a greater evil from him than simply political warfare."

"You always think the worst, Shad," Ashei mumbled.

"I have to," he said matter-of-factly, placing his cup down firmly, "Have I been incorrect?"

The room was silent, and at that Shad took another sip.

"I hate to sound like an annoying child," Ren spoke up, "But what does this have to do with my dad? I mean," he turned to Colin, "isn't that why we came? We can't do anything about the king so can we at least try and find my dad like you said we were going to do?"

Colin was a bit taken aback, but Shad spoke before he could.

"I do apologize, dear boy, I was getting to the subject of your father next," he set his mug down and leaned back in his chair with a sigh, "Where to begin."

"Well, you helped him find a book," Aveil offered enthusiastically, turning around and resting her chin on the back of the couch so as to better interact with her father and his guests.

"Yes, yes, thank you, dear," Shad smiled, "He came to me one night many, many years ago now – it had been only months after the twilight – and he appeared to have a renewed sense of hope. Before that, as you may not know, Ren, Link was not himself, so to see him with a glimmer of optimism in his otherwise distraught eyes was a sight in itself."

Ren leaned in, eagerly hanging on the scholar's every word.

"He was very vague, and spoke to me almost in riddles. It was clear that he was trying his very hardest to keep something from me, but whatever that was, was also what he was seeking my guidance on, so he struggled with that a bit. I…" Shad moved to rest his chin in his hand, tightening his brow as he recalled the encounter.

"Yes?" Ren urged.

"I am not sure what would be too much to reveal," Shad almost whispered.

"Aw, come on, dad," Aveil whined, "They came all this way."

Colin glanced over at her with a smile.

"No point keeping anything from them now, yeah?" Ashei added.

Shad exhaled, pushing his glasses back up the slope of his nose, "Very well. He was inquiring about a portal between worlds. Specifically, how to open one that had been previously destroyed."

Ren's eyes went wide as saucers.

"I told him the only thing I had ever read pertaining to such a topic during my studies was that one would need an object of significance from the two worlds that were looking to be joined."

"Sent him on a wild goose chase," Ashei murmured bitterly from the corner, having believed all these years that that was the reason they never saw Link again.

"It was never my intention," Shad spat, turning to her instantaneously, "I was only trying to help the poor boy."

"What happened then?" Colin pushed.

The red-haired man sighed again, glancing down at the little ripples in his ivory teacup, "He made off for the castle library like a bandit, but I followed - much to his dismay. I caught him looking at a rather large tome involving something I had never heard of. Goodness, the look on his face was one of pure dread when he saw me. He truly, truly did not want me to know the details of what he was doing."

The room was silent as they waited for him to go on.

"He was nose-deep in a book about something called the Mirror of Twilight. What was particularly disturbing, however, was that the exact pages pertaining to what he was inquiring about were missing entirely. Nothing remained save for the ripped edges along the spine."

The house was as still as a graveyard for several moments. Ren was entirely in his own mind, honestly feeling more perplexed now than when he left home.

"I have no idea what any of that means," Colin spoke up at last, pinching the bridge of his nose in confusion, "But... does that mean someone else is up to something bad? With those particular pages being gone? I mean, that couldn't be _good_ , right?"

"Unfortunately, for that I am at as much of a loss as you are," Shad replied dejectedly, "After we discovered that the book was incomplete, Link said he was going to seek counsel from – who was at that time – the princess. I am afraid I have not seen him since."

Ren glanced down at his hands in his lap for only a split second before he stood up from his seat in a flash.

"If that's the case, then we just need to go see the princess," he exclaimed.

Ashei laughed, "For one, she's the _queen_ , and you don't just _go see_ the queen."

"I have to agree," Shad admitted, "Royalty is not exactly approachable."

"Why not?" Ren blurted agitatedly, "My dad was the hero that saved them all. Does that not hold any stock with our _queen_?"

Shad blinked, "W-Well..."

"Exactly. I'm sure she'll see me if I tell her who I am," Ren said with fierce determination, "If everything I've been told about my dad all my life has been true, then there's no reason Zelda wouldn't see me, right?"

Shad looked over at Ashei, hoping she would either help him or that an answer would be written plainly across her forehead. She simply shrugged in his direction.

"Well, uh – um..."

Without another word, Ren turned for the door in a flurry.

"Ren! Wait!" Colin shouted, hurrying to his feet and dashing after him.

Shad stood as his guests bolted out the door, glancing anxiously between the open exit, his startled daughter, and his blank-faced wife.

"I think that went well, dad," Aveil deadpanned.

The scholar sighed, hanging his head momentarily, "They didn't drink their tea."

"Don't worry about it, yeah?" Ashei said reassuringly, knowing her husband well enough to understand that he was worried for his friends, "They'll be fine. They'll either get in to see Zelda who will help them more than we ever could, or they'll be right back here."

Shad simply nodded, "For once I hope you are right."

The dark-haired woman gave him a look, and at that their daughter giggled.

Outside, the streets were quieter and emptier than they had been not long before. Only one loud voice could faintly be heard above all else in the distance. Ren didn't stop running towards the center of town, ignoring his uncle's calls of his name behind him.

It wasn't hard to find his way, the tall, central-most tower of the castle guiding him like a beacon of light in the darkness. The closer he got, the clearer the words from the prominent voice on the air became.

"-and we shall see our majestic Hyrule prosper even beyond-"

He heard bits and pieces, but cared not to actually listen to what was being said. His leg ached something awful, but he did not stop running until he reached the wall of people that formed the enormous crowd. They all stood around the large, ornate fountain in the center, the trickling of the clear water providing percussion to the rambling of the king. Ren merely glanced up at him as he continued forward, pushing his way through the throngs of bodies.

"-shall see our resources, while plentiful, double – nay, _triple_!"

At that the audience roared, and Ren was almost knocked to the ground at the sudden excitement of the people.

"We love you!"

"How gracious!"

"Such leadership!"

Several gleeful cries rang loud in the air accompanying the thunderous applause.

When Ren was almost to the front of the pack, Colin caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

He didn't look back at his uncle as he shouted over the screams of the crowd into his ear, "I know what you're going to do – please don't."

The younger Ordonian ignored his words, but not with the intention of disobeying him; he simply hadn't even heard him.

Ren stared up at the king, standing tall and soaking in the praise from his citizens. He had shoulder-length chestnut brown hair and a very short beard that accentuated his strong jawline. He wore a white, ruffled shirt with buttons down the front, and light tan pants held up by a belt adorned with a gold Hylian crest. A long, fleece robe with a fuzzy, honey-colored collar draped his broad shoulders and swept the cobblestones behind his fancy slippers. The royal mulberry hue that made up his extravagant cloak billowed exaggeratedly in a wind that felt like it was manifested only for him. His tight, masculine features gazed out about the crowd like a god looking down from the heavens at his children. It was clear to Ren that this king was far too interested in his own agenda to truly be a man of the people.

A debilitating shiver ran down Ren's spine when he and Viscen locked eyes. He felt in that brief instant as if fear itself had become a physical entity that wrest control over his entire body. The king's dark, mysterious brown eyes seemed to burn holes right through him.

"Ren," Colin called, grabbing his nephew's arm tighter, "You okay?"

Viscen looked away, and Ren felt as if he was set free from a curse.

He glanced at Colin for only a second, "Yeah."

"Thank you for joining me and my beautiful family on this glorious day, wonderful citizens of Hyrule! We shall-"

And Ren didn't care to listen anymore. Standing a bit behind the devilish king, he saw what he knew just _had_ to be the queen. She had a beautiful, elegant gown on, nearly identical to the one he had painted in his mind's eye from all the stories he'd heard up until now. Her long, blonde hair rippled in the slight breeze, and he only briefly spotted a young girl standing behind her before the royal party as a whole turned to leave, signifying that the king's speech was done. He knew that this was his only shot.

Ren pushed his way through the last few bodies in front of him, dipping and ducking between people clapping and jumping for joy at the king's closing words, and those attempting to move against him to leave in the opposite direction. Men and women here and there yelled at the annoying child plowing through them, but he paid them all no mind – he didn't take his eyes off of his destination.

As soon as he was within an arm's reach to the queen, a royal guard shoved him to the ground and thrust the tip of his spear to the boy's throat.

Ren grunted as he hit the cobblestones hard, knocking the wind clean out of his lungs. He blinked fearfully as he felt the sharp metal brushing against his neck with each pulse of his heart. He just barely saw Colin out of the corner of his eye, but Viscen suddenly yelling took his attention.

"How dare you approach your queen like such a barbarian!" he screamed angrily, "Where did you learn your manners!"

Ren said nothing, but he and Zelda met gazes. In that moment she just _knew_. It wasn't his uncanny resemblance to the hero, it wasn't his brash approach or his similar mannerisms, it was nothing more than an overwhelming _feeling_ in her very core. There was an aura around him, and there was an intense warmth in her chest that told her without a shadow of a doubt. It took no deliberation; she _knew_.

"You..." she whispered, taking a step closer, "I did not know he had a child..."

Viscen was too wrapped up in himself to hear her. Ren's lack of a reply only angered him to the point of commanding, "Take this _rat_ to the gutter and let us be done with it."

Ren gulped in utter horror as the guards swarmed him and restrained him so tightly that he almost lost all feeling in his arms.

Zelda stepped up as Viscen was just starting to walk away from what he found to be simply a mild annoyance.

She said, "This is the son of the hero, and you will get your hands off of him this instant."

The king turned around as the guards looked back and forth between their two leaders, unsure of who to obey.

"What?" Viscen hissed, his eyes narrowed to slits.

She didn't even turn to look at him.

"I _said_ unhand him."

There was a fire in her eyes that rivaled that of Death Mountain itself. The sheer power in her voice was terrifying as it rattled the very stones at their feet.

The royal guards instantly released him, and Viscen glared at his wife briefly. Ren could've sworn he saw the king grin mischievously before heading back towards the castle with most of the guards following close behind.

Ren huffed nervously, shaking his arms and rubbing a particularly sore spot. Colin came up to him then and placed a hand on his shoulder to which he gave a crooked smile.

"I sincerely apologize," Zelda spoke up at last after having watched her husband leave, her voice the most soothing sound Ren had heard in so long, "Your appearance comes as a surprise to me, but I know why you are here."

Ren tensed his brow, but he couldn't find the courage to speak in her presence.

She merely smiled, "Come with me."

* * *

 _ **Dumb and silent we may be led.**_

* * *

 _A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!_

SonadowKokoro100, Debora, Eve79, Lotus Eater, Gabby-J, Chloe Rose, Lee Glerum

 _You guys are amazing!_


	6. Play the Part

**A/N:** Hello my beautiful readers and friends :) I say it every time but thank you for your unwavering patience with me. I know the wait times can be hard, and all I can say is that I promise I try to make them shorter each and every time. I enjoyed writing this one quite a bit and I really hope you enjoy reading it!

* * *

 **When Heroes Fall**

 _By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

Chapter 6: Play the Part

 **.:.**

"We would prefer to speak alone," Zelda's powerful voice reverberated off of the stone walls of the castle.

It echoed several times, and was the only sound anyone heard for a handful of minutes before the guards finally complied. They scurried out, the booming noise of the tall, double doors closing behind them a monumental volume that ricocheted just the same.

Finally confident that they were unaccompanied, Zelda sat down in the plush throne at the end of the hall, and her daughter stood beside her. Colin fell to one knee before them, and seconds later, Ren caught the hint and did the same.

"I will not have you doing that in my presence," she spoke directly, but neither of them moved a muscle, simply afraid of offending their queen with any form of what may be considered disrespect.

"I said _rise_ , gentlemen. I will not ask you again," she stated more firmly, and at that, the two slowly got to their feet.

When they gazed up at their queen, she had the faintest hint of a smile on her picturesque face, and she didn't look much different than Colin remembered from when he was a boy. She wore the same style of gown, only slightly more adorned with golden trinkets and baubles that displayed her higher status. Her hair was the same shade of creamy, light brown, similar to the strong tree trunks back home, he thought. The crown that lay atop her billowing hair was much larger and far more ornate than the one she wore as Hyrule's princess. It stood taller, and wrapped all the way around her head. It sparkled brilliantly in the bright sun that filtered in through the nearby windows, the diamonds that decorated the headdress reflecting rainbows upon all nearby surfaces. The only substantial change he could pinpoint was the exhaustion on her lovely face. She seemed tired, weighed down, like years of struggling had never allowed her a decent respite, and at that Colin felt sad.

Ren, however, found himself utterly drawn to the princess that stood beside the throne, blissfully unaware of his surroundings as he took in the sight of her. She appeared to be his age, and she was… goddesses, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid his eyes on. She was small in height and stature, but she stood with her chin held high and seemingly the confidence of the gods. She clasped her hands together in front of her pale pink dress that looked quite similar to her mother's, only simpler and not as lavishly decorated. Her hair was a delicate waterfall that cascaded down the entirety of her back in a stunning shade of blonde that reminded Ren of soothing sunflowers blowing in the wind on a warm day. Her eyes were the fairest blue color he had ever witnessed; he was almost sure he had begun looking into the clearest of skies. Her skin was perfect porcelain, and she stood so regal and elegant that Ren was almost convinced he was staring at a doll.

The tiara that rested atop her head was golden with a singular, aquamarine gem in the center, and Colin recognized that it was the one Zelda had worn when she was the princess. Ren's heart pounded hard inside his chest, and he lost all manner of time as he looked at her.

Zelda clearing her throat averted his gaze.

"Allow me to introduce you to my daughter," the queen began with a bit of a smirk – Ren was embarrassed that his gawking had apparently been so obvious.

"This is Princess Zelda Emeline Hyrule," she announced.

The princess curtsied, "It is very nice to meet you, sirs."

Ren's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice. Farore, it sounded like a song. It was so light, like a singular flute playing its solo in an empty hall or a lone bird chirping its happy tune in the tallest of trees.

Ren was dumbstruck, but Colin replied with a bow, "It's nice to meet you, Princess Zelda."

The princess lowered her head in respect, "Please, call me Emeline."

Colin looked to the queen for affirmation.

She simply nodded, and that was all the reply given on the matter.

She turned to Ren, "Son of the hero," she spoke low yet forceful, "What is your name?"

Ren couldn't find his voice. He looked up at the queen apprehensively with a gulp, and back at the princess with an uncontrollable flutter in his stomach.

Colin glanced over at his nephew anxiously, not wanting to upset the queen by the lack of a response.

"My name is Colin, Your Majesty, and this is Ren. He's Link's son," he stammered, nervously trying to fill in the silence, "but you already seem to know th-"

She simply raised a delicate hand to silence him, "Of course. I remember you well, Sir Colin, son of Rusl from Ordon. I could never forget the beloved family of the hero who cherished and nurtured him so dearly," she smiled just ever so slightly as she turned back to Ren, "It is with great surprise, however, that I should meet the hero's child."

Ren blinked hard and swallowed down his trepidation. He bowed deeply as he mustered up the minimal respects and courtesies he had learned in his short years that were necessary when in the presence of royalty.

"It's an honor to meet you at last, Your Highness…"

Zelda grinned brightly then, and it was the most emotion Colin had ever witnessed on her usually composed face. She stood from her seat, lifted the sides of her dress as she knelt briefly into a curtsy, her daughter following suit as she had been taught to do all her life.

Standing tall again, she said, "The pleasure is mine, young one, I assure you."

The two Ordonians, still lowered however slightly in respect, rose up as Zelda's gloved hands motioned for them to do so.

The room fell silent momentarily again as the queen retook her seat on the throne. Colin and Ren exchanged glances, and it was the older of the two that was brave enough to take the initiative.

"Thank you very much for allowing us to have an audience with you, Your Majesty."

"There is nothing to thank me for," she replied in a soft, calming tone, "I have longed for the day that someone would muster the courage to seek out our hero."

"O-Oh, uh-um-" Colin stuttered, taken aback by the queen's foresight.

"I told you that I know why it is you have come, did I not? You have come in search of answers that may lead you to our dear Link."

"Y-Yes," Colin stammered, "Would you be able to help us? You're our last stop, honestly… If you don't know anything then we're out of luck."

Zelda's brow went a bit tense then, and it was clear that she was struggling with an answer.

At last all she said was, "Yes."

Ren's face lit up, "R-… Really? Can you really help us? Do you know where he is? When did you last see-"

Colin shot him a look begging him to slow down, and his words stopped flat in his throat when he saw the queen looking quite pensive.

"I can tell by the innocence on your face that you know some of the tale of the hero, but not all," she began almost inaudibly, her eyes narrow and her features strained, "He fell off of a metaphorical deep end upon closure of his journey to seal the darkness. It changed him exponentially, and he was determined to find a way back to a place that was unreachable."

"Shad told us he was looking to open a portal – something about a Mirror of Twilight," Ren interjected, "But I don't get why. Why was he so set on getting back to a place he'd already left? Why wasn't his family in Ordon enough?"

Zelda was silent, her face was stone. To be honest, she was a bit shocked that Shad had revealed so much, but there was no longer a point in masking truths – she just knew she could not be responsible for relaying any more of them.

"Those questions would be better suited for the hero."

Ren sighed, "I wish everyone would stop calling him that. I just want a dad, okay? Not a hero."

Colin shot him another look, scared that his attitude would aggravate the royalty before them.

Zelda was quiet for several moments again, but it was not because she needed to search for a reply or because she required the composure to bring herself to speak. She purposely gave Ren the time to collect himself and think of what he wanted to say next before she would say anything more. The queen was remarkably wise in all matters of life, social aspects and human emotions being no exception.

"I apologize," she stated honestly and soothingly after the amount of heartbeats that passed seemed appropriate.

Ren said nothing, the queen's gentleness and sincerity making him feel embarrassed for his previously misplaced anger.

When she saw him preparing to speak again, she knew he intended to ask for forgiveness and she felt there was simply no need for it, so she cleared her throat and spoke up before he could so much as make a sound.

"Your father came to me in regards to a book that had several essential pages missing," she adjusted herself upon the throne, sitting up straighter and resting her forearms flat against the arms of the lavish chair as she explained, "I recognized them as ones that the king had been keeping in his bedside table for reasons still unknown to me. Link and I looked them over together, and the only piece of useful information was given in the form of a prophecy."

Ren's eyes widened as he listened as intently as he could, not noticing that he was inching ever closer.

Zelda glanced down at her gloved hand for only a second, the massive diamond on her finger glinting in the sunlight that poured in through the window. She recalled the memory well, the comfort of her hero by her side warming her heart. When she looked back at his son, she held her chin high as she recited the verse.

"' _One of noble intentions shall combine light and twilight where purest waters flow like time unending into the winding river. The spirit of that which seals away darkest evil will shine upon the stone before time stagnates_.'"

The cavernous throne room was noiseless. All that could be heard was the chirping of birds in the trees just outside the window. Ren glanced between the expressionless queen, the timid princess, and his perplexed uncle in turn, none taking it upon themselves to speak up, so he did.

"What does that mean?"

"I am afraid we did not know for sure ourselves, but your father and I did our best to solve it."

She stood elegantly then, her long dress flowing behind her as she began walking slowly back and forth in front of the throne, her eyes never leaving Ren's all the while.

"' _One of noble intentions_ ' would be the hero," she proclaimed confidently, as if she were conducting a lesson in a school room, "' _Combine light and twilight_ ' would be an object of great significance from both worlds, and ' _where purest waters flow like time unending into the winding river_ ,' we presumed would be the great waterfall of Zora's Domain."

Ren awaited further elaboration, but when she did not continue, he urged, "And the rest?"

She stopped still in front of the throne, clasping her hands gracefully in front of her just like her daughter had been all along, "We did not know. For the hero, the beginning was all he needed. His indomitable will was enough to get started – he simply said to me that ' _we would figure out the rest later_.'"

"Shad mentioned objects of importance when we talked to him about this as well," Colin added, "Does that mean… is that what Link went after? Is that where he's been all this time?"

"You have grown into an intelligent man, much like your father," Zelda said with a small smile that soon faded, "Partly, yes, that is where our hero has been."

"' _Partly_ '?" Colin parroted.

"Yes, you see… I gave to him an object of significance from this world - the last remaining light arrow from our battle with Ganondorf - and it is for an object from the twilight that he has been searching all these years."

Ren didn't look any less confused.

With a furrowed brow he asked, "What does that mean? Where would he even search for something like that?"

Zelda exhaled very slowly, closing her eyes for only a moment before giving her reply.

"That is what troubles me. The last thing he mentioned to me was that he planned to search the desert... and I have not seen him since."

Colin's jaw fell open, "The desert? Din, that's... that's insane! He's been there all this time? That couldn't be – how could he have possibly survived all these years?"

"Thus my concern..." Zelda murmured despondently.

Ren looked around the room at those in his company just eager to find one of them with a hint of hope in their eyes. When he found none, he dashed forward almost involuntarily, closing the gap between him and the queen. The princess gasped at the sudden movement as Ren grabbed Zelda's hand and stared imploringly up into her eyes.

"Ren!" Colin screeched at his nephew's flippant actions, but he paid him no mind.

"Please tell me, Your Highness, you have to know! Is he alive? If he is I'll search for him, I don't care how far it is!"

Zelda returned the young man's desperate gaze with one of her own. When she stared into his eyes, she saw her hero, she saw _Link_. She felt his energy and his courageous spirit through his son's hands as he held tightly, _pleadingly_ to hers. The connection she and Link shared was one the two understood simply because they each felt it so strongly, but it was something that was never quite so easily explained to others. She knew she still felt his presence, still just clinging to an arbitrary existence in a place unknown to her, but she worried about the state of said existence. Was he still whole? Was he still cognizant? Was he any semblance of the man they once knew? Was he still _Link_?

These questions troubled the queen far more than those debating whether or not he was alive. She knew that if he had passed on to the sacred realm that she would have felt an immeasurable pain in the void it would create in her heart, and she had yet to feel such an agony.

She thought long and hard about how she would reply, for she truly feared sending this boy on a hunt to find his father only to either turn up empty-handed, or to be disappointed by what he should discover. She worried what kind of a state he would find the hero in, and she wanted nothing more than to keep him envisioning the noble man she knew he was, but that he may have lost sight of.

"I do believe he is still alive," she said at last, gazing down into the young man's crystal blue eyes, "But it would be with great reluctance that I permit you to seek him out."

Ren lit up only the tiniest bit before questioning, "Why?"

Zelda breathed in deep, glancing then at Colin a ways behind Ren, "You were only a child... but I imagine you can recall the manner in which your brother departed all those years ago?"

Colin nodded forlornly, "Yes, of course. I've never been able to forget it. He... He never even said goodbye to us."

"Which was so drastically uncharacteristic of him you should know, Ren," the queen promptly added, "Your father was the noblest, most selfless man to grace this world crafted by the goddesses, and if you should find him, all I ask is that you remember that."

Ren furrowed his brow, "Yeah... Why wouldn't I?"

"All I can say is that I cannot promise you that you will find the father you have manifested in your imagination. He has been gone for so long... Nayru only knows what has kept him from returning to us, and what so many years of solitude has done for his already perturbed state... So, please, remember that he truly is all of the wonderful things you have heard in the stories told by your family and friends, you may just have to help him see himself that way again."

She released her hands from his grasp and moved them to the sides of his handsome face. She leaned in and gave him a gentle peck on the forehead before pulling back with a small smile.

"You may just be that push that Link needs to find himself again," she whispered, rubbing her thumb across his cheek, "Help him remember who he is, young one. Show him there is still good in this world – there is still light."

At that Ren gave the most genuine smile. Zelda took a step back and placed an open palm to the Ordonian's heart. He looked down in confusion for only a second, but an instant warmth swept over him that made the hesitance vanish. He closed his eyes and he felt a swirling comfort envelope him like a thick blanket on a cold day.

Colin and Emeline watched on in awe at the two standing, eyes closed with their hair ruffling wildly as if they were standing in the middle of a wind storm. A bright light surrounded them that grew and grew in intensity to the point where the bystanders could only cover their eyes and wait for it to diminish.

When they were able to look back, the two were standing tall as the imaginary gale slowly dissipated, and all was still again.

Colin approached carefully, "Are you okay?"

He placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder from his side, and that slowly brought him back to reality with a few sluggish blinks. Ren looked around groggily, seemingly unaware of his surroundings however briefly.

Zelda opened her eyes only seconds later with a frail smile. She dropped her hands to her sides and let out a deep breath.

Ren looked to her with a strangely serene expression on his face, "What was that?"

The queen seemed tired, but she still smiled.

"A gift," was all she said, and was all she would say.

The doors at the end of the hall suddenly swung open thunderously.

"My dear queen, I do believe it is time that your… ' _meeting_ ' came to an end," the arrogant voice of the king rang loud in the throne room.

He stood at the threshold, arms folded impatiently across his broad chest. Two tall guards stood at either side of their king, their staves pointed high and their shields held menacingly in front of them.

Ren and Colin glanced nervously between the king and queen both, apprehensive of what would happen next. They knew Zelda could hold her own against her husband as they had seen her put him in his place just outside when he demanded that Ren be thrown in the ' _gutter_ ,' but she had a different expression now. She looked anxious, she looked uncomfortable, she almost even looked… afraid.

She stared at him for a good long minute before finally saying, "Yes, we were just adjourning our discussion, in fact."

"Ah, good!" the king exclaimed with a wide grin, "We wouldn't want to be late for our meeting with our loyal and devoted council members, now, would we?"

She forced a bogus grin of her own, "No, dear, we would not."

"Good!" he proclaimed again, turning then for the door as he clapped one of the guards on the shoulder with a despicable smirk and muttered, "Off we go, then, boys!"

As the king was exiting, Zelda turned to her daughter and said, "Take them to the armory, and then you can show them to the guest room beside your chambers."

Emeline nodded and gave a slight bow, "Yes, mother."

"Wait, what? The armory?" Ren interjected confusedly.

"You will need something to protect yourself with if you plan to find your father in the desert," Zelda explained before turning for the exit with a serious expression, "I must go. Good luck to you, young one."

The three of them watched her leave, and as soon as the double doors shut loudly behind her, they each exchanged hesitant glances.

"What was that about?" Ren asked, at last breaking the silence.

"Not exactly our business, Ren," Colin replied.

Ren shot him a look, but Emeline spoke before he could say anything.

"Let us go to the armory."

The two young men looked at each other before following the princess out of the throne room. The castle was even bigger on the inside than it appeared on the outside, and it looked massive enough from the outside. They followed the girl up a flight of stairs and through several winding corridors before finally coming to a singular, wooden door with large, visible nails and splinters in the cracks of the wood.

The princess stood beside the entryway with her hands clasped delicately, "This is the armory. Please help yourselves to a weapon and a guard of your choosing."

She spoke monotonously, as if it was a line she had rehearsed several times before. The two glanced at her, then at one another, and then at the shoddy door. Colin grabbed the handle and flung it open, and before them lay a room with stone walls filled to the brim with weaponry. They stepped inside and looked around in a state of awe – neither of them were swordsmen, and so neither one really knew exactly what to look for, but the sight was still one to behold nonetheless.

"Um, any recommendations here, princess? I'm afraid we aren't really versed in this sort of thing," Colin stated.

Emeline looked at him from her perch beside the entrance, saying with the utmost sincerity "I would choose one that is pointy."

"Pfff!" Ren burst out laughing, immediately covering his mouth with his hand as he doubled over.

Colin gave a slight chuckle himself, "Good call, princess, will do."

When her guests turned away and were no longer looking in her direction, Emeline couldn't help but smile.

Colin gave up trying to pick out something in particular rather quickly, not knowing what one blade did well over any other. He grabbed a sword that appeared to be the standard for the Hylian soldiers, with a silver hilt and red handle, and a round, brown shield. Ren lifted up a blade with a yellow hilt and swung it around a few times before dropping it. The metal clanked noisily on the stone floor, and his cheeks instantly blushed when he heard Emeline giggle. Colin chuckled at his side and told him to go with that one, but he barely even noticed. He pushed a stray lock of hair out of his face, picked the blade back up and stuck it in the basic holster he had strapped on earlier along with a somewhat oval-shaped shield that bared the Hylian crest.

As they headed back to their escort, Colin couldn't help but laugh to himself once more.

"What?" Ren blurted agitatedly, assuming he was still laughing about what had just happened, "I've never wielded a sword, okay? I'll lear-"

"No, it's not that," he shook his head before looking at his nephew fondly, "You just remind me so much of your dad… This-" he motioned to the effects he'd just acquired, "It just suits you. You look just like him."

Ren paused before mustering, "Thank you."

Emeline led them up several more flights of stairs and down even more long hallways. There was artwork adorning the walls, and as the sun was beginning to descend in the sky the candles in their sconces helped light up the otherwise dark corridor. They were in one of the higher up wings, as they recalled Zelda mentioning that the room they would have for the night would be near the princess'. It was eerily quiet up here, and there was a chill to the air that thrust a heavy uneasiness on their hearts.

The princess stopped before a set of double doors, "These will be your chambers for the night. If you require any further assistance I will be in the room at the very end of this hall," she motioned straight ahead before giving the two guests a bow.

Ren turned and watched her go while Colin opened the door beside them.

"Wow," the older Ordonian mumbled as he dropped what little he had on him on a dresser just inside, "I've never stayed anywhere even remotely as nice as this."

"She seems so distant and almost sad, doesn't she?" Ren asked, still standing just outside.

Colin turned to him with a sigh, "Yeah, she does. Zelda does, too. I guess being royalty isn't all it's cracked up to be. Could also have to do with who her father is."

Ren exhaled before finally entering the chamber and setting his things down just the same. The room was quite large, with a cozy, king sized bed against the far wall. A plush rug covered most of the floor, and a big sofa sat at the end of the bed.

"This is nice," Ren said.

Colin scoffed, "Yeah, you could say that. Guess I'll take the couch tonight."

Ren paid no mind to the last bit, "You think she'll talk to me?"

Colin furrowed his brow, "Who? The princess?"

Ren nodded.

His uncle was quiet momentarily, a bit confused at the question, "I mean, I guess? I don't know, really. Wouldn't it be rude to bother a princess in her room?"

Ren glanced around his surroundings a bit unsure before replying, "I don't know… I just feel like I need to talk to her."

"I don't know, Ren," Colin muttered as he plopped down on the sofa with a huff. He bent over, looking down at his feet as he began taking off his sandals "I don't want to freak her out or anything – she seems a bit timid as it is. I don't want to overstep our bounds, you know?"

There was silence.

"Ren?"

Colin sat back up straight just to see that his nephew wasn't there.

He exhaled loudly, "What have I gotten myself into."

At the end of the hall stood two large doors, ornately and intricately carved. Ren stood before them nervously for what felt like eternity. He mustered up the strength to knock, and when he got no reply for quite some time, he took it upon himself to just take a tiny, little peek inside.

The room was gorgeous – and here he was thinking the room he and Colin were in was luxurious. She had a massive, four poster bed, with a thick, purple blanket that draped heavily over the sides and brushed the floor. She had a matching canopy that hung gracefully overhead and tied up neatly to each post by an ivory tassel. He opened the door wider to see breathtaking paintings of Hyrule's many landscapes as well as its wildlife upon the walls. He dared to go a little farther in when he caught sight of a huge glass door that led out to a balcony, and it was open.

He couldn't control his overwhelming curiosity. He stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind him. He crept across the plush, red carpet, careful to ensure that each footstep was light and silent. As he neared the threshold, a billowing dress could just barely be seen around the corner, and a calming breeze came over him as he at last stepped out onto the balcony alongside the princess.

From up here, all of Castle Town – and even beyond – could be seen. The lights in the city seemed so far away, the people were only ants, and the clouds were barely an arm's length away. There was a bitter cold to the air, but the young girl's presence beside him made him forget about it entirely.

"Sure is a nice vi-"

"AH!" the princess screamed in horror, whirling around and clutching a hand over her heart in a flash.

Ren held his hands out in an attempt to calm her, "Woah, I'm sorry, princess... I-I didn't mean to startle you."

Her eyes were wide as saucers and her breathing was rapid. They did nothing but stare in silence for several heartbeats as the princess regained her composure and once again stood tall and elegant in the presence of her guest.

"I apologize, sir," she bowed her head, "It was unladylike of me to behave in such a manner, and undignified of me to do so before an honored guest."

Ren narrowed his eyes – this behavior was clearly just... ingrained in her, and it broke his heart.

"There's no need for that, princess... I'm sorry I scared you, I just wanted to talk to you."

Emeline looked back at him with bewilderment in her eyes, "You wanted to speak to _me_?"

"Is that okay?"

She nodded once very slowly, still unsure and quite shocked, "Yes..."

"Okay... well..." he started with a bit of a chuckle at the awkwardness, "Can I ask you why you don't go by your first name?"

She still faced him straight on, her hands clasped in front of her respectfully as if she was in the presence of royalty as opposed to being royalty herself.

"It is customary for all princesses of Hyrule to be given the name Zelda, and as such, confusion tends to happen when multiple generations are in power concurrently. My grandmother passed into the realm of the goddesses when my mother was very young, so being referred to as 'Zelda' was something of a privilege for her. Since my mother is this generation's 'Zelda,' I find it simpler to go by my middle name, Emeline."

Her every word seemed so rehearsed, each nuance was so meticulous and each movement all the way down to a twitch in her pinky finger was calculated. It was obvious that she was groomed to be a princess first and foremost since birth, and Ren couldn't help but outwardly frown as he thought of how little freedom she must have. She had no confidence in herself, not even a thought that being true to herself was a possibility. All she knew all her life was that she had to be what her title was, and that she had to uphold the image of a princess regardless of how she felt doing so.

"I see..." he said, turning towards the balcony railing and looking over the edge at the green royal gardens far below.

She turned outward just the same, but said nothing.

He looked over at her, and she still stood with the most perfect posture, as if she constantly had a book rested atop her head.

"I hope it's not out of line for me to say to a princess, but you can be yourself around me," he dared a bit nervously.

She stared back at him, "I am... myself," she stammered, "But I must always be the princess first."

He nodded, and felt he should prod no further – at least not yet, not until she felt more comfortable around him.

Changing the subject was the better idea.

"So... why are you standing out here in the cold?"

She made no gesture of interest nor even the slightest twinge of attention, her response was utterly flat, "I enjoy looking out over the land."

Ren tapped his foot anxiously, the evident discomfort thick in the air as he thought of a pointless way to keep talking, "Um… Anything in particular you like to look at?"

She furrowed her brow, perhaps a bit stunned that he would pry further after her short answer, "I enjoy watching the animals far below."

"Oh," Ren perked up, "I had a ton of animals I loved watching back home. The tadpoles in the river and the squirrels in the forest especially."

She cast a sneaky, sideways glance at him, trying to conceal her growing interest, "Squirrels, you say?"

"Yeah," Ren smiled, privy to the fact that he was slowly pulling her out of her shell, "There were two. One was particularly small, and the other was a bit bigger. The bigger one always sort of... seemed to protect and watch over the small one. The big one always gathered extra nuts and fruits for his friend... I just always found it really endearing and interesting to watch."

Emeline showed the faintest hint of a smile then, and had Ren not been looking for it he was sure he would have missed it.

"That _is_ endearing…" she turned to face him only a bit, "There is a family of rabbits I love to watch scurry in and out of their homes just outside the town walls. It is a bit hard to spot them, but there are quite a few of them. The babies were only born this past spring, so it has been adorable to watch them grow up and play and learn."

Ren chuckled, "That sounds great. I'd love to see them, and maybe I can even show you the squirrels one day."

Her face went sullen then, and she turned slowly outward yet again. Every muscle that had just barely begun to relax suddenly and all at once went rigid as it had been before.

"I cannot leave Hyrule Castle."

Ren frowned, "Sure, maybe not right now, but-"

"Ever," she interjected, a bit of power to her voice that the boy hadn't been expecting, "I am not permitted to leave the castle under any circumstances."

Ren gave a bit of a nervous chuckle that he would have refrained from had he taken a moment to think, "That's insane. There's no way you could never _ever_ leave the castle, right? I mean, my mom was really protective, and she didn't want me leaving the forest I grew up in, but I don't think she would've tried to keep me there forever."

There was simply nothing. The tiniest hint of personality she had started to show was once again gone. She was a puppet of a monarchy that controlled her – a pawn in a greater game who had no purpose other than fulfilling her own role.

A certain hero could perhaps relate.

"I am not permitted to leave the castle under any circumstances," she repeated.

The blond young man turned back to the railing just the same, looking out over the twinkling lights of the city far below, his mind on several things all at once. He felt bad for the princess, but he couldn't help but contemplate on what he himself had said. Would his mother really have let him leave had she not died? All Ren grew up knowing was trees surrounding him, the sound of farm animals and dirt and grass between his toes. All he knew was a protective mother that wouldn't so much as let him prick a finger or catch a cold. _Would his mother really have let him leave had she not died?_

"Maybe I _would_ still be stuck in the forest if my mom was still around..."

Emeline cast him a sideways glance, and when she noticed him looking a bit perplexed and much more troubled, she turned to him just ever so slightly, "What happened to her?"

He sighed more loudly than he intended, "She died in a fire that I started."

It just came out. He was embarrassed and ashamed, but it just... fell out of his mouth so easily. It was like removing a heavy weight from his shoulders that he had been carrying uphill for far too long. Sure, he felt stupid and like the worst person in the entire world for saying it, but somehow putting it out there to be judged felt better than keeping it bottled inside.

The princess looked down at her clasped hands, and Ren could feel her uneasiness.

"It was a complete accident and I was a complete idiot. I think about her every day and I hate myself for how careless I was every minute."

She looked back at him then with sadness in her youthful eyes, the most emotion and investment in their conversation he had yet to see, "Don't hate yourself. If your mother was anything like mine... I know she would understand."

"It's hard to convince myself of that," he stated.

"Mothers and fathers only do what they think is best for their children," she began, taking Ren by surprise when she grabbed his hands in her own, "Even if it ever seems irrational or unprecedented, they are trying to give you all the best that they can."

Ren studied her expression then, noticing that that, too, seemed recited, or at least heard over and over... and over again.

"Is that what he tells you?"

She dropped her hands from his in an instant, an astounded look on her pretty face, "W-What?"

"The king – your father. Does he tell you that when he does things like forbid you to leave the castle?"

The princess spun away from him, facing the stars once again. She was silent, and Ren quickly felt regret.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "I didn't mean to sound so... harsh."

She blinked a few times slowly, but she still said nothing for what felt like forever.

Ren pursed his lips and gazed down at his sandals with his arms rested on the balcony railing. He glanced over at her periodically, but her face was stone. The wind rustled her beautiful blonde hair, and her dress swayed just the same, but she remained as still as a graveyard.

He felt terrible. They had just met and he knew he'd come across much too strong. He'd scared her by barging into her private chambers, he'd questioned her upbringing and he'd accused her parents. He didn't know why he had such strong emotions about it all, but he just couldn't help it when he saw the suffering behind her arctic blue eyes.

He turned to leave then, realizing that he had made an atrocious first impression for himself and wanting nothing more than to lie down in that big, comfortable bed after humiliating himself and go to sleep.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, princess," he said as he started to make his way back inside, "I'll see myself out."

A cold hand quickly grabbed his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.

"Don't go," a tiny voice called out, "Please..."

He looked over his shoulder at her, "I made a fool of myself to the princess of Hyrule," he chuckled embarrassingly, "I should just go to bed."

"You most certainly did not make a fool of yourself, sir..." she tried, eyes pleading.

"You shouldn't be calling me _sir_ , you know. I'm pretty sure I'm your age, and I don't have any status or anything."

"You're the son of the hero," she smiled brightly, "We have long awaited such a guest after the hero himself disappeared."

He sighed, "Is that the only reason you want me to stay?"

She tensed her brow, "No, si-… No, of course not. I was... enjoying your company..."

She dropped her hand then, slightly flustered by what she had just announced.

He turned to face her fully again, "And I was enjoying yours... I just felt like I overstepped my bounds."

She shook her head, "No... It's nice to have someone to talk to that isn't my mother or father or a handmaiden."

Ren gave a crooked smile, "Well, in that case..." he began, making his way back to the banister and gesturing for the princess to follow, "Tell me how you know about the ' _hero_.' You talk about waiting for someone like me as if you knew him."

"Oh, no, no, no," she shook her head as she joined him, standing at his side, "The hero vanished before I was born, but my mother speaks of him frequently. She was genuinely taken by surprise to see you, however."

"I take it they were close?" Ren guessed.

"Yes, they were indeed very close," Emeline explained, "My mother told me about the triforce, and how because of it, she and the hero are linked."

"Linked?" he questioned, "I don't understand."

"I'm afraid I do not quite understand it myself, but there are many things I still have yet to understand."

Ren nodded once slowly, not really grasping what she was saying but taking it in and listening intently nonetheless.

Emeline studied him closely, gazing over his young, handsome face and wondering if this was what the hero might have looked like. She glanced down at his clothes that were simply otherworldly to her – they were so minimalistic, light, and breathable. Everything she had to wear was heavy, hot, and dramatic. She looked back up into his deep sapphire eyes and couldn't help but ask what had been on her mind this whole time.

"What's it like... to be the son of the hero?"

He looked over at her, responding to her acutely inquisitive stare with one mostly blank. When he witnessed the genuine curiosity in her eyes, he pursed his lips as he thought of what to say.

"Um, well..." he glanced away, piecing the words together in his mind one by one, "Back home, my dad wasn't _the hero_ above all else, he was just... _Link_ , the brother, son, uncle – whatever else – that everyone loved to death. I mean, sure, I heard all the stories about what he did, and when I was little I loved hearing about them – I asked my mom to tell them to me over and over and over – but more than anything all I want now is just a dad."

Sadness took over the princess' azure eyes at that moment, but Ren went on before the silence could take over the moment.

"I used to be so hung up on having this heroic father, and wanting to go on adventures with him and watch him slay monsters and all that... but I think my mom dying made me realize how much I need just a dad, whether a hero or not."

There was a bitter quiet again that Emeline could not pierce, but it only made Ren's mind wander further down the dark thoughts it had started along.

"I miss my mom," he muttered, "I just want to tell her one more time that I love her. I want to know what she thinks about me finding my dad... Would she be excited I was going to find him? Would she be proud? Or would she be mad at me for leaving home?"

Ren's eyes never strayed from the horizon straight ahead, and he spoke so quietly and monotone that Emeline was almost unsure if he meant to be saying it aloud to her.

Regardless, she decided to speak up.

"I did not know your mother... But I would imagine that any mother would be proud of their child leaving home and taking on such a courageous venture," she smiled as she turned to him, just begging him to reciprocate, "I know you will find the hero, and I am sure your mother will be smiling down upon you from her perch in the heavens beside the goddesses. I cannot wait to see you and Sir Colin ride in alongside Hyrule's hero at long last!"

The young man looked at her, an excitement on her porcelain face that made him smile without even realizing. There was something about this girl... He couldn't put his finger on it, but he just... wanted to keep talking to her for as long as time allowed.

He gave a meager chuckle, "Thank you, Emeline. Honestly, I came here hoping to lift your spirits, but you lifted mine instead."

She grinned brightly, "I assure you, Sir Ren, you have lifted mine as well," and she gave a courteous bow.

A loud knock on her bedroom door forced both of their hearts out of their chests at once.

"Emeline, dear! Do you have... _company_?"

It was the voice of the king. He had this way of sounding like he meant well and was calm and loving, while at the same time he could rip your throat out if you so much as mentioned something he found displeasing.

The princess whirled around to her guest in a flurry, "You must hide out here while I speak to my father," she whispered forcefully.

Ren simply nodded worriedly, pushing himself up against the exterior wall of the castle, far around the corner where he could not be seen through the window from the inside.

Emeline ran to the door and opened it with haste, but she acted perfectly cool and composed.

"Good evening, father," she curtsied.

"Good evening," he replied curtly, glancing around the room rather than at his daughter, "I seem to have heard voices coming from your chamber, my sweet. Would you happen to have had company this evening?"

"No, sir," she answered with a grin, "I was simply reading aloud to myself. I have been trying to improve my public speaking skills, as you instructed me to do, father."

"Hm," he mumbled, stepping past his daughter and into her room, his hands clasped behind his back as he walked with his head held high but still looking at every possible nook and cranny.

"And what tome were we indulging in this evening, my beautiful daughter?" he asked, hoping to catch her in a lie.

"Why, my favorite, of course. The tale of the hero."

He glanced over his shoulder at her with a sneer as clear as day across his chiseled face, "The tale of the hero, you say?" he snickered, "And what, pray tell, was happening to our beloved hero in today's story?"

"Well," she smiled, patting down her dress in excitement, "I was reading about a hero that came from the skies. It is told that this hero was the first to wield the blade of evil's bane. Some speculate that he was even the one to forge it! And that it even housed a mystical spirit that helped the hero on his quest! And-"

"EMELINE!" the king suddenly roared, his commanding voice rattling the glass window beside Ren and sending a chill down his spine.

The princess instantly stopped short, hanging her head before her father.

"What did I tell you about rambling! A princess is polite, ladylike, and speaks with eloquence and grace! She does not..." he paused as he searched for the word, throwing his arms about in a rage all the while, "… _prattle_ on about _nonsense_!"

She hung her head lower in shame, but she didn't tremble at his terrifying behavior like Ren was just outside; even though it wasn't directed at him, he found it downright bone-chilling. He was sad to notice that she acted as if this was the norm, and he imagined that it probably was.

"And what have I told you about reading those fairytale stories?" he calmed down a bit, adjusting his waistcoat as he collected himself.

She barely peeked up at him through her bangs dangling in front of her eyes, "But... they are not fairytale stories, fa-"

"Yes they are!" he bellowed, "The idea of heroes is rubbish. It is all a lie – a story made up by bards and preachers. There is no boy in green that whisks in at the perfect moment and saves people. No," he stood up tall and straightened the collar of his robes, "The royal family are the heroes. We keep our people safe, we ensure that they are fed and clothed, and it is because of us that our kingdom remains the land's beacon of hope."

"Those ' _fairytale heroes_ ' are the reason we have a kingdom to keep," a voice just as dominant suddenly stated from the doorway.

The princess and the king turned to see Zelda standing in the threshold.

"They are the reason we have those people that we feed and clothe. _Link_ is the reason we are all standing here now," she declared strongly, her face tense with indignation as she stared down her husband.

A tiny, mischievous grin crept into the corner of Viscen's mouth before he bowed briefly and said, "Whatever you say, my darling. It is lucky that in this fair land of Hyrule we are each entitled to our opinions, isn't that right?"

The queen perched a single, annoyed eyebrow, but it was important that she always kept her composure, "Why, yes, dear, luckily that is so," she replied with a curtsy.

The king smiled to his family, "Ah, yes, well, I suppose we should all be off to bed now, shouldn't we? We all have a big day ahead of us."

"Yes," Zelda said, "We should."

Viscen took one last glance across the room, and Ren's heart skipped a beat when he thought the king might have caught him peeking, but all seemed fine as he proceeded to leave the princess' chambers in a blur.

Zelda sighed as soon as she was alone with her daughter.

She knelt down and took her in for a hug, "I apologize for your father's behavior."

Emeline simply nodded, "I understand, mother."

They separated, the queen staring at her daughter's strong face, seemingly unfazed by the whole thing – after all, how could she be? It's not like things had ever been really any different.

"Your father is... very passionate," she tried, "It is just of the utmost importance that we each play our part, you understand?"

"Yes," she replied monotonously.

"Good... We must both be strong, and we shall overcome this one day, Emeline. But, until then, if he ever lays a hand on you-"

"I know, mother, I know. I will seek out you or anyone else that we can trust immediately," the princess rehashed, "May I go to sleep now? I'm very tired."

Zelda gave a sad smile, "Yes... I'm sorry," she gave her a peck on the cheek as she stood up and headed for the hallway, "Sweet dreams, dear."

And with that Emeline shut the door behind her. She pressed her back against the wooden entry and let out the longest breath she felt as if she'd been holding in for the past fifteen minutes.

Ren nervously and quietly came in from the balcony, "That-"

"My father just wants me to be the best I can be at my role in this kingdom," she interjected defensively.

She stared at him from across the room, a strong will in her eyes that told Ren he could not argue or disagree, so he simply mumbled, "Alright... Well-"

"His only intention is that I be the best princess I can be, so that I may one day become a queen that deserves her kingdom," she continued protectively, knowing all the things he wanted to say that she simply could not allow him to say, "He is not a bad man, he just wants the best for Hyrule. You have no place in criticizing the royal family. My father knows his role, do you know yours?"

Ren just stared. The way she spoke down to him reminded him that she was the princess and loyal to her father, and that he was simply a guest in a kingdom that did not want him. He was shocked at how strongly she verbally confronted him, but he knew deep down that it was only because she was conditioned to be this way. Knowing that, however, didn't make it hurt any less.

"I know my role, Your Highness," he said solemnly, "I'm just a farm boy from a place far away that you will never see. Don't worry, I plan to go back there as soon as I find my dad, and you won't have to deal with me again."

He made his way across the room and to the exit, but as he approached, Emeline made no motion to move or open the door she stood in front of. He tried to reach for the handle, but she spoke up in a defeated voice.

"I'm sorry."

He turned to look at her, fiddling with the shards in his pocket to help ease his discomfort.

"I…" she hesitated, clearly struggling within herself, "My defense mechanism is shutting people out... Getting defensive..." She looked down in embarrassment, "I apologize."

Ren shook his head, dismissing it, "We all have something. It's fine."

He gave a forced smile, and it was clear to the princess that the air around them was still a bit on edge and that he wanted to leave. She opened the door for him, but before stepping aside and letting him through, she had one more thing to ask him.

"So, um... What was that that happened in the throne room earlier with my mother? What did she... _do_... to you?"

She had genuine curiosity in her eyes, but Ren could only shrug.

"I have no idea, princess. I had actually planned on asking you."

Emeline's brow tightened, "I have never seen her do something like that..." she glanced down at his chest where the queen had pressed her hand during the mysterious encounter, "Did it hurt?"

Ren gave a small smile, "No, it actually felt wonderful. For that moment all my worries were completely gone. It felt like a... mini blanket of heaven," he chuckled.

"Hm," she muttered, "Interesting."

The boy nodded, but was still eager to make a speedy exit as he felt extremely out of place after what he'd just witnessed, "Well, hopefully I'll see you tomorrow, princess," and with that he took off down the hall.

The princess watched him go with a forlorn smile, "Good luck finding your father..." She whispered to herself.

When she closed the door behind her and she was once again alone in her chambers, the darkness of the room, the coldness of the air, and the emptiness of the walls closing in on her from all sides made her mind reel over the unexpected visit from the hero's son.

He'd singlehandedly opened her eyes to so many things in that short hour he was in her presence – or was it longer than that?

His words had made her really contemplate the state of things for the first time in her life. The absurdity in her father's behavior, in her isolation, in the current monarchy as a whole. Things she'd rarely ever questioned before, if at all, were now at the forefront of her mind.

His company had shown her just how lonely she really was. Her solitude had blinded and brainwashed her, and now all she could wonder was if she would be ready should a different role than the one she had been groomed for all her life be thrust upon her.

* * *

 _ **Everyone has a part to play. Bring the audience to their feet with yours.**_

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 **A/N:** Please, as always, let me know what you thought of this chapter in a review! Your reviews are the fuel I go back and look at when I'm stuck - they truly, truly help me power through and inspire me to keep going. Don't forget that my supporters get updates a little earlier than FanFiction, so if you're interested check it out! You can find all my social media and various other internet dwellings by clicking on the Google link on my profile, and then clicking on 'About.' I hope you all loved this chapter and I hope you're excited to see what's coming next! We'll be seeing Link very, very soon ;) I love you all!

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 _A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!_

SonadoKokoro100, Debora, Lotus Eater, Gabby-J, Chloe Rose, Ivalee, Lee Glerum

 _You guys are amazing!_


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